A Lonely World
by OneWhoCuddlesFire
Summary: ... "The power of having the voice inside and to be given the stone of the Earth is an honor,one that should never be mistreated or underestimated, for it can do great e your gift well young one, and discover all that you can do."
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

I woke up with a start, breathing in gasps and my eyes wide with terror. My dream had seemed so real. I thought I was actually there, that it all happened. After a few minutes realization dawned on me and I realized I was back in my own room again, and I tried to steady my pounding heart and frantic breathing.

I pulled my knees up to my chest and sobbed quietly, making sure not to wake Charlie; then I'd really be dead. I thought back to all the horrors of my dream.

_I appeared to be in a place of fog, for that was all I could see. I looked around me, but all I could see was the fog. I couldn't figure out where I was, all I could hear was my breathing and the pounding of my heart, and all I could see was the wet, dense fog in front of me. "Always look around you; take in your surroundings. Figure out where you are and get as much information as possible. Then you can make it through anything, and that way you'll always know what to do if you are in a bad situation. Just concentrate. " is what my mother always told me. _

_It had worked every time, since I had ended up needing to use it quite often. _

_"Just concentrate" kept repeating over and over in my head, and I looked around. Only fog. I looked up at the sky; it appeared to be cloudy, like a gray blanket was covering all the blue. I looked down at my feet and could see patched of grass and dirt, along with some twigs. Okay, dirt and twigs. That meant I must not be on a lawn or in a park, that meant I was probably in the woods somewhere. I cautiously took slow, steady steps foward, watching my feet and glancing around me for any change in the fog. _

_I smelled the air and could smell fresh grass, dirt, maple, and the smell of cleanliness that you get while in the woods. In spite of the circumstance I was in, I couldn't help but smile. It smelled amazing here. _

_The fog began to lighten, and the clearer it grew the more confident and quick my strides became. Soon all the fog was completely gone and I was walking at my overly fast pace, which was normal. I grew up learning that you either learned to walk fast, or you got left behind. I took in all my surroundings again. There was a deep, dense cover of clouds, so I guessed I was somewhere that it rained a lot. _

_I used everything around me to shorten the possibilities of where I was, narrowing it bit by bit. I was in what seemed to be the heart of the forest; trees of all kinds were everywhere and the forest floor was covered in fall leaves and dirt. There were quite a few hills all over the place and in the distance I could see a mountain range. This meant I was in one of about seven places. I knew right away I wasn't in Africa, or England. I knew I wasn't in Asia, the air here was too fresh and the temperature too perfect. I wasn't in Chile; there was too much grass here. And I knew for sure that I wasn't anywhere near the East coast; it was too warm and sunny there, here it was cloudy. I realized I was in the forest near my home of Forks, Washington. _

_Great, I thought sarcastically. I began walking towards the mountain range; I wasn't sure why. I just felt that's where I should be right now. As I neared the base of the mountain I heard a twig snap behind me and spun around, but nothing was there. I glanced around me and into the dense trees, but spotting nothing I began to again walk along. A minute or so later I heard the shuffling of a bush against a bush, and spun around again, but still saw nothing. _

_I was beginning to get anxious; was I going insane? I shook my head at my worry and began to, again, climb . Not two seconds later I distinctively heard something, like someone stepping on a pair of rocks, and I spun around much faster than before, just to catch a blur of something disappearing behind a close tree. _

_I was not completely freaked out, because I knew that someone or something was following me. I thought back to what my life is usually like, outside the world of dreams and mostly nightmares, about how much of a hell I'm living, and I smiled. After thinking things over I considered what could be following me. Probably and animal I concluded. _

_Still smiling, I sat down on the ground and waited. I didn't have to wait long because I could hear that whatever was behind the tree moving around a bit. Soon I began to see something coming out from behind the tree and I smiled. My smile froze in place and quickly dissipated into a look of pure horror at what I saw come out from behind the tree. _

_Charlie, my father began walking towards me, an evil grin on his face. Suddenly I was completely afraid, and I was trapped, I couldn't move. Like a deer in the headlights of a car, I didn't have a chance to move; I was transfixed. Charlie stopped about a foot in front of me and whispered in my ear, "I told you not to run Bella, now your going to get punished for it. "_

_He smiled that wicked smile and pulled out a long, sharp knife. My eyes widened even more in terror. My breathing hitched, and by now my heartbeat was out the roof. I closed my eyes; I didn't want to see him killing me. Suddenly, the dream ended. _

I considered what could have happened in my dream after that and shuddered, willing it to leave my memory. I heard some of the floor boards creak outside my door and knew Charlie was awake. Crap, I was so dead. Suddenly my door was thrown open, and Charlie walked in, that same grin on his face as the one from my dreams.

I could have sworn he had gone to bed, oh well. I guess it was beating time; I thought I had wiggled out of it tonight. I guess not. I just sat there on my bed, my arms wrapped around my legs and my head on my knees, watching him. I closed my eyes and waited for him to come and punch me or something, though I didn't want to see him do it. I didn't want to see his laughing face and watch his fists come at me.

My wish was not granted; at the first kick in the gut, my eyes flew open and I couldn't keep them shut; I was too busy crying and trying to find something, anything, to use as an escape.

Charlie kept kicking me and I could literally feel my ribs breaking, but that wasn't uncommon. I could see all the bruises on my stomach through my white spaghetti strap tank top, and that meant it was bad, really bad. Charlie suddenly stepped on my leg, and I screamed in agony; I think he just broke it. Suddenly, he picked me up by my hair and punched me straight in the face. I continued to cry silent tears, I didn't blubber or whine or sob, I just cried silently and screamed when it hurt too much, like when he snapped my leg.

The torture went on with Charlie continually beating up my legs, arms, my back, everything. Then I felt the strangest feeling, the most unusual sensation. I felt kind of dizzy and peaceful for a moment, then the pain sank in, and my eyes flew to my stomach. Charlie had stabbed me. Blood was running in huge bunches down my stomach and legs. I didn't scream though, I just stared at it until Charlie put his hand on the knife and moved it an inch.

That inch was all it took, and I screamed and fell to the floor. Charlie bent down next to me and pulled the knife back out and just stared at it for a moment, watching my blood ooze off the end.

He pulled me back up and grabbed my bruised left arm. He took the knife and started at my wrist, cutting a slice in my arm all the way to my elbow. He did that eight more times on that arm and then did the same to my other arm. Every time he made a cut I screamed, and in response he would dig the knife further into my arm. It hurt so much. After each of my arms had nine fresh cuts on them, Charlie lowered the knife and threw me back onto the floor, so I was laying on my broken ribs and stabbed stomach. I continued to cry silently, trying not to make a sound.

Suddenly, I felt Charlie's hands on my back, rolling up my tank top so my back was exposed. He unsnapped my bra so my back was completely bare and unprotected. A moment later I could feel the cold silver blade's tip resting on my back, just below my neck. He started to make a huge, trailing cut down my back, first veering downward slowly and towards the right side of my back until it reached the edge, and then started turning it the other direction, so the cut on my back went in a curve from my right side to my left and then further down. Charlie made the cut end at the small indent in my back near the bottom of it, around my hips.

He removed the knife and that was the last I felt of it for the rest of the night, though a few more kicks were thrown in before Charlie sauntered out. I waited on the floor for a few minutes, listening to the sound of Charlie getting ready for bed.

When I began to hear his steady snores, I lifted myself carefully off the floor. Steadying myself, I walked as quietly as I could into my closet where I had hidden my medical kit that I had to restock every week. I sprayed my arms and back where I had been cut with the anti-bacterial spray stuff, it stung, but I didn't care. It was nothing compared to the rest of my pain. After I had sprayed it I wrapped my arms in a gauze roll and pulled out my larger gauze roll and wrapped it around my torso and stomach, so the scar on my back and the hole in my stomach could heal a little.

The hole in my stomach wasn't bad; it wasn't like he had thrust the knife into it. He had only made a slight hole, one that would easily heal in a few weeks if I kept that part of me protected.

After that I checked my leg; I was lucky. He hadn't broken my leg, he had popped it a little and had bruised it up pretty bad, but it wasn't broken or strained. I could walk on it just fine. I sighed in relief and carefully put away the kit and made my way to bed, being wary of my bruised and/or broken ribs. I soon fell into a dreamless sleep; the first in a few weeks.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 2**

I awoke slightly more refreshed than usual, and thanked the lord that I got some sleep after last night. Before I got in the shower I laid out my clothes and checked last night's bandages. The one around my torso was doing pretty good; it looked like it had stopped bleeding, and the scar on my back was starting to patch itself over with some skin, though I knew that scar was deep enough to become permanent, but I didnt really care that much.

The scars on my arms, however, had bled a little more than the others so you could see some of the blood faintly through the bandages. I sighed and unwrapped myself and, after checking I wasn't still bleeding anywhere, jumped into the shower.

After my shower I reapplied my bandages around my arms and torso, making sure all the new cuts had been wrapped. I then got dressed in my usual school wear; jeans, tennis shoes, and plain long-sleeved shirts. Today I was wearing my dark, dark blue jeans, with a forest-color green long-sleeved sweater with a white spaghetti strap tank top underneath it, though it wasn't visible. I wore my white, dirty tennis shoes that had dark blue and black designs on the side of it, though it was dirty and faded. I grabbed my schoolbag and, after making sure I had everything I needed, made my way downstairs. Charlie still wasn't up yet; he was never up this early in the morning.

My dad, Charlie, was the chief of the small, rainy town of Forks, Washington. Ironic enough as it was, that he was the chief of police, out saving the town day after day, only to come home and beat me. Every person in the town of Forks and even some from the other, closer towns viewed Charlie as a hero, not to be seen as wrong. They thought of him as the bravest, kindest, most honest man in Forks.

Everybody loved and respected him; everybody except me. I hated him for his soul and wished he would just leave or go to jail or something. To let me free, make it so I never had to see him again. And even after all he's put me through, I didn't want him to die. I wasn't a monster, and I wasn't evil or jealous like others, I wasn't thirsty for revenge. I just wanted to never have to worry about him or see him again. To just be free of him and have both of us start over in a new life, one that was hopefully healthier for the both of us.

I sighed, knowing that would probably never happen, and that I would probably die from his abuse sooner than I had any hope of a new life. I grabbed an apple and sat down at the table, quickly eating it and drinking some water. After I was done I threw the apple remains in the trash, put the water bottle in my bag, and looked at the clock. I was leaving about four minutes early.

That was good, meant I didn't have to speed as much and guaranteed I wouldn't be late to class. I smiled a little and started to head out the door, locking it behind me. I went over to the side of the garage and grabbed my skateboard, the only way I had to get to school. When I told Charlie I needed to be able to get to school on time, he gave me ten bucks and told me to go buy a skateboard for myself. After that I didn't even consider bugging him; skateboarding was better than walking.

I grabbed my board and walked over to the sidewalk by the house and set down the skateboard. Out of every kid that went to my school, I lived the furthest from the school, and I was the only one without a car. I got on my board and began boarding my way towards school. As I boarded I did tricks, something that always brightened my day. I loved doing tricks on my skateboard; that was one of the many perks I got. I was a good skateboarder, and could top anybody in Forks at skateboarding tournaments, though I never went.

Everybody hated me, said I was a bitch and a slut. I didn't listen, and I didn't care. I had heard this many times by Charlie, and listening to them talk about me like that didn't bug me in the slightest. Besides, I didn't go to the skateboarding stuff because I didn't want to get in trouble from Charlie. If I suddenly had a friend or two, Charlie might increase my pain.

I stopped at one of the three stoplights in town and waited for my turn to cross over to the other side. After I was across, I began speed boarding, just because it was fun. I did tricks on random objects and always landed with perfection. In a matter of minutes school was in sight, and I slowed down, but only slightly.

I just needed to slow down enough to make the turn, and then speed up again. I turned at the corner and sped up, aiming for the ramp that a man who lived by the school owned. I used this ramp every morning to jump the school fence into the parking lot without having to worry about the students or cars. The ramp was something he put up just for me, being the sweet old man he is. He was currently sitting in a chair on his front porch, and he smiled and waved at me when I started zooming past him.

I quickly smiled and waved back, before jumping the ramp over into the school grounds, on the sidewalk there.

After I was on the sidewalk I slowed down and jumped off my board, stepping quickly onto the end of it so it flipped up into my left hand. I slid my hand to the middle of the board and carried it against my side as I made my way into the school building. Everyone was outside milling about and talking, and as I passed I heard the news of the "new kids". I didn't pay much attention, I didn't really care if there were new kids or not. A few days after they were here they'd join in with laughing at me and beating me up. It never bothered me.

The punches they swung were feather soft compared to Charlie's blows. I ran to my locker and threw in my skateboard, closing my locker and locking it. I made my way to first hour; I was the first one there. I sat in my seat in the back of the classroom, where I sat alone in every class I had. I loved it, no one to sit by me, and nothing to worry about. I had asked each teacher this at the beginning of the year, and they all agreed. But they only agreed because I was always friendly and kind to them and were a perfect straight A student, everything was easy for me. They had all asked if I wanted to move up a grade, and I had said no. If I took advanced classes, then so be it, but I wasn't going to switch grades.

I sighed in contentment as I opened up my notebook for English class and copied down this week's notes, which I had been given by my English teacher, Miss Greer. She always gave me the week's notes every Monday, and she gave me all the study guides, bookwork, homework, assignments, lectures; everything. She knew this always helped me; I never did do well at taking things in stride when it came to English, I had to know everything together. I copied down the weeks notes and worked on the sheet assignments and finished them in five minutes, when it would have taken the average student twenty minutes per page. I smiled to myself.

I was in advanced English for me and should probably be in double advanced English, but I decided not to. I didn't feel like taking college English until the first day of fall rolled around, then I was getting transferred to a college English teacher who agreed to come in and teach me college English every day once fall started. I was excited about this; learning college English with a college teacher and starting my college education, since I probably wouldn't get to go to college anyways.

This college teacher agreed to also teach me in math and science, since she was an expert on all three subjects. I was practically bouncing with joy when the principal told me this. I was so excited, the first time since I was five years old, the day of my birthday, the day before my mom left. The day before my world of hell started, and I didn't even know it.

When the bell rang and students began walking into class, I had finished the week's notes, worksheets, and had read all the book work and understood every bit of it. All I had left was to write the surprise essay Miss Greer had planned for the class, and I was already halfway through the rough draft. It was easy, no difficulties whatsoever. I sighed and put away my finished work and continued to work on my essay. When Miss Greer called the class to order I was proofreading my rough draft, finding no mistakes and putting it away to be typed this afternoon. Miss Greer began to teach the class and I paid attention, to make sure I didn't miss anything while going through the notes, readings, and lectures for the week. I never missed anything, but I knew it never hurt to check. I noticed a new girl sit beside me, but I didn't pay any attention to her.

When the bell rang signaling the end of class I could hear the whole class begin talking about the new kids as they walked out the door, about their coolness, friendliness, and hotness. All the girls were gushing and all the guys were comparing and betting. I shook my head at their childishness and made my way to my second class, math. I was at present taking Calculus, but would begin taking college math starting next Monday; only a week to go. I did a small jump and smiled. One more week and I'd have three classes of peace.

As I entered math class I walked over to Mister Dreemon and waited for him to hand me my stuff. After I was given the week's assignments, I went to my seat in the back of the room and began working. Mister Dreemon didn't believe I should be given everything for the week; he only believed I should be given the assignments and notes I needed, nothing more. That way I was guaranteed to pay attention to his class.

Or so he thought. I always paid attention to his class anyways, out of habit. But I never needed to, I already knew it all and just decided to sit there and make sure I missed nothing, while taking extra special notes and adding extra problems to my notebook, while also working on the work he had given me. As the bell rang, he announced the day's homework to the class before they left and everyone filed out for third period.

Third period for me was art class, my favorite class of the day. We never had any work in art class, all we had to do was use some form of art and decided what we wanted to do. Today I felt in the mood for sketching, something I was good at. I sat in my seat in the corner of the room and began sketching. I started to sketch my dream from last night, various scenes from it. Looking down at my shoes with the fog closing in. The look of the trees and the leaves on the forest floor. The sight of the base of the mountain range.

I was an amazing drawer, and I was a fast one too. So I had no problem drawing these simple drawings in about half an hour or so. After I finished with them I worked on the hardest one of the bunch; I drew me standing at the mountain base, halfway spun around, looking at Charlie stepping out from behind a tree smiling. It would look harmless to anyone else who saw it, but I would always know the real reason behind the drawing. I finished this drawing just as the bell rang signaling class was over.

Our art teacher, Miss Streek, checked what everyone had done in class before they left, so she knew we were at least doing something. That's all it took to keep an A in art class, just draw a picture and then do nothing. Easy enough that everyone took her class. I always left this class first, so I didn't have to worry about being late or anything. I walked up to her desk with my special art sketchbook and showed her the four sketches I had done. She smiled; she loved my drawings. She marked it down in her grade book and shooed me away so she could get to everybody else. I put my sketchbook in my bag and walked to fourth hour history.

History was an easy enough class. At the beginning of class Mister Johnson would give me the articles I had to read and the assignments I was to do and tell me to pay attention in class as always and take notes. I always agreed; I never had a problem with taking my own notes.

As I was working on the assignments I heard Mister Johnson call the class to order and say "Class, today we have a new student in here. Her name is Rosalie Hale. You are to treat her with respect and help her ease into the school year. " With that being said, he gave her a book and sent her to the only open seat in the class; the one next to me.

As she sat down I put away my early work and turned to look at her, but not to stare like everybody else. I just looked her over for a moment, just so I'd know who she was, and then left her alone. I could feel her gaze into my head and felt the slight prickle on the back of my neck. It didn't go away, she just kept staring. I glanced back up at her for a fraction of a second and then looked away. Rosalie Hale had gorgeous, flowing blonde hair that went down in the most graceful style to her mid-back. It looked soft and silky, and complimented her nicely.

She was somewhat tall, with a very nice frame and had every guy drooling over her. Her face was perfect with no freckles or acne or anything, and she wasn't wearing much makeup; she didn't need to. She was wearing semi-dark purple eye-shadow, mascara, eye liner, and some lip stick which was a nice red color. She didn't need any makeup for the rest of her face; it was flawless and needed nothing to touch it up.

Rosalie was wearing a red V-neck top that was slightly ruffled as it sat there. She had on a white shirt under it and was wearing a necklace with a dark purple heart on it. Her deep red shirt was short sleeved and fit her frame perfectly. She was wearing light blue skinny jeans that really hugged her frame and made her legs look nice and long. She was wearing red heels, almost stilettos, with two thick bands wrapping around her feet on it. She looked like she had just come out of a magazine. She looked like a model, but I didn't really care. She meant nothing to me; she would hate me like everyone else in only a few days. I didn't mind; this was the way my life had gone since I was five years old.

The whole class was watching Rosalie with either lust in their eyes or envy. Everyone except me; I was paying attention to Mister Johnson instead. When he dismissed the class five minutes early everyone was smiling and made their way into the halls to get ready for class and talk until fifth period started.

For me fifth period was advanced Swedish. In elementary I had accomplished and mastered Spanish, and was now one of the many languages I could speak with ease and understand with perfect clarity to this day. The same went with French, which I learned and mastered just like Spanish in Middle School. When I began high school it only took a year and a half of to learn and perfect German. I have been in Swedish class for about 3/4 of a year now, including the Summer-time, and I was already advanced.

I could easily speak my four languages and could almost speak Swedish with the same ease as Spanish, French, German, and English. Learning languages was very easy for me; I had no problems with it. I figured it would come in handy one day, if I needed it. Just like history and English class would too. I smiled slightly at my accomplishments and began to finish my Swedish learning class. By next week I will have perfected Swedish and will be starting my Dutch class. _Sweetness _I thought to myself. Much too soon for my liking the bell rang signaling lunch.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own twilight**

**Chapter 3**

The cafeteria was a fair sized place, it was just the right size for a school as small as ours. All around the room were a bunch of round tables with chairs and all the walls were framed with large steel and glass. Almost unbreakable glass too. On the left side was the lunch line, which was beginning to fill up. I ignored the line and went straight to the salad table, where I went every day. Charlie never gave me lunch money, and I couldn't get it myself.

Besides, I never did like the school food. I went to the salad bar and picked up a tray, putting a salad and an apple on it, while grabbing my water bottle out of my bag. I made my way outside to go eat my lunch under a tree, in my usual spot. I ate my salad speedily and then took my time on my apple, watching the other students eat and joke and talk.

My attention soon became turned towards the new kids, or at least I assumed that's who they were. I saw Rosalie Hale sitting with them and guessed they were the Hales and the Cullens. I didn't really care, but I watched them anyway, like I did with Rosalie. Just so I knew what they looked like, how they dress, everything I might need, just in case. As I watched them, I could hear them talking, and quickly learned their names.

"Oh my god Emmett don't touch my hair! " A little pixie like girl said to one of the boys sitting next to her. He had been messing with her short, spiky black hair. The boy Emmett was very big and muscular, easily seen as a body builder and probably the strongest guy in the state. He had dark, curly hair and a big smile. His skin, like Rosalie's, was pale like mine. Emmett was a lot taller than the little pixie girl, and he seemed to be the happiest of the bunch.

He had broad cheekbones and a pumped up body. He was wearing a white T-shirt that made him look even more muscular and fit, and dark blue jeans. He was wearing white sneakers and a white hat with some writing a designs on it, though I wasn't sure what they were. He had dark brown eyes and I could tell he would be an easy person for anybody to get along with. The perfect big brother.

"Sorry Alice, would it be better if I messed up Jasper's hair? " Emmett asked still smiling and began messing with a honey colored haired boy. The pixie like girl Alice looked kind of frustrated with Emmett, but laughed anyways. She had very short, spiky black hair and a very small, petite frame. Very pixie-like. She seemed to be an energetic little person with a happy aura surrounding her and couldn't seem to stop bouncing from excitement.

She had a very excited and kind looking face, with dark blue eyes. She also seemed to be very fashionable. She was wearing a white shirt on bottom with a dark gray half vest over the top of it. The vest had a V-neck cut on the vest and at the bottom of the vest was a small cut part that looked really nice. The vest had a few buttons to hold it together and it looked really good on Alice. She was also wearing a short black skirt that was for the most part plain and some white leggings that went to the top of her ankles. She was wearing black ballet flats and around her neck was a necklace with a stone hanging on the end.

The stone looked very smooth and rounded out and was a deep green color. She was wearing some silver eye-shadow, eye liner, and mascara and had some clear lip gloss on.

"Emmett! Cut it out! " The boy named Jasper said to Emmett, leaning away from him as Emmett tried to mess with his hair again. Jasper was a tough looking boy. He had wiry muscles on him, and looked strong, but was nothing compared to Emmett's bulky form. His hair was honey-colored and he had baby blue eyes that sparkled a bit. He had a face that showed stability and at the moment amusement. He was laughing with Emmett and the girls joined in. I smiled at the scene. Jasper had a nice build to him and was wearing a long sleeved dark green shirt. It looked nice on him. He was wearing some dark blue jeans and tennis shoes. He was sitting next to Alice. Alice was sitting next to Emmett, and on Emmett's other side was Rosalie.

On the other side of Rosalie was another boy. He had a wiry build like Jasper's, but looked slightly stronger than the honey-haired boy. His hair was an untidy bronze and he had a very kind and carefree smile. He had beautiful green eyes and a breathtaking crooked smile. He had a nice build, just like the others, and looked like a person of determination. He was wearing a light gray T-shirt that really helped show his muscles and fit him perfectly.

He wore dark blue jeans like the other boys and tennis shoes. Altogether a very nice looking family. Apparently they all lived together, the Cullen's and the Hale's. The Hale's were adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Cullen, and were also together with the Cullen children. As I watched them I figured out which family was which for the most part. Rosalie and Emmett were kissing for a while, so I gathered that Emmett was a Cullen. Alice was leaning onto Jasper's chest and he was talking with her and kissing the top of her head. I knew that one of them was a Cullen and the other was a Hale. I had no idea which family the bronze haired boy belonged to.

"Edward Cullen, stop daydreaming and pay attention to your amazing twin sister! "Alice fake-scolded. The bronze haired boy, Edward, laughed. I smiled as I watched them. So, Edward, Alice, and Emmett were the Cullens, and Rosalie and Jasper were the Hales. It made sense now. I finished my apple and just sat by my tree, watching everyone. When the bell rang, signaling us to go back inside, I headed for science.

Mister Harris handed me a sheet of paper when I walked in the door and I went to my seat in the back. I copied down the assignments and opened my book to work on them. I also had to take notes like everyone else in this class. During the class I paid strict attention and took all my notes and did all the work for the week and finished before the class was over.

When the bell rang releasing us to the final period, I walked to gym. As I was changing, I noticed that Alice and Emmett Cullen had this class with me too. Gym passed by like any other day, and soon I was off to my locker for my skateboard. I grabbed my board out, closed my locker, and set off towards work. As I was boarding to work, I thought back to the new kids. They seemed nice enough, but that wouldn't last. I knew it wouldn't, just give it a couple days. I boarded to work, the Newton's Sports Store, and put my stuff away and grabbed my vest, getting ready for my shift.

Newton's Sporting Goods Store was one of the few places in this tiny little town that had an available job. You didn't earn a whole lot of money, but at least it was something. Mike Newton was one of the guys I went to school with, a real school player. He's probably slept with almost every girl in the school, and he doesn't give a damn about the laws or anything. He's also one of the main people that constantly bug me.

Him and his buddies Tyler, Ben, and Eric usually shove me into lockers or closets or something and lock me in there. It doesn't bother me that much, I just make sure I'm home on time to cook dinner for Charlie. Otherwise I'd be dead. Mike's mom owns the store, and if you took one look at her you wouldn't think sporting goods store' you'd think 'Nail Salon' or maybe 'Macy's'.

Mrs. Newton had deep, blonde hair that went just past her shoulders. She usually had it up in her stylish bun. She was wearing red lipstick, some foundation, and even more makeup that made her look beautiful. Mrs. Newton was wearing her usual stylish attire, with a white shirt that only went to her bellybutton. She had a white tank underneath of it and was wearing white pants and red heels. She had perfectly manicured nails and never got a scratch on them. Not exactly the type of person you expect to be showing you where the fishing rods were.

When my shift ended an hour later I stowed away my vest under the counter and made my way out the door. Before I left, Mrs. Newton came up to me.

"Bella, here's your paycheck from last week, I'm sorry its so late. " Mrs. Newton said kindly, handing me the envelope. She was always such a nice woman, always being kind to me because of how respectful she saw me as. I smiled and said a quiet 'thanks' to her before opening the envelope and pulling out the money from my paycheck. There seemed to be a little more money than usual in here, and I unfolded it and counted it all. Mrs. Newton had given me an extra thirty dollars. Wow. I lifted my head to look up at her in surprise, and she just smiled warmly at me.

"Bella, you always do such an amazing job around here. You keep everything clean, you help all the customers. I hardly have anything to do anymore. " She laughed. "I figured you deserved a little extra for all your hard work. "I was smiling by the time she had finished. I thanked her and headed off on my skateboard to the supermarket and Wal-mart. I went to Wal-mart first. I restocked all my medical supplies and added a little extra thanks to Mrs. Newton's kind donation. after I had all that I needed in my bag, I headed off towards the Supermarket. I didn't need to stay here for long, I just needed to grab something to eat. We were out of fruit and yogurt at home, and that was all I really ate.

I went to the fruit section and grabbed a bag, I put in seven red apples, four green apples, and a couple of pears. I closed the bag and got another one. In that one I put two oranges, a few peaches, three yellow apples, and a few more green apples until the bag was full. I closed it and walked back to the produce department to grab a bunch of yogurt. I grabbed about fifteen yogurt cups and made my way up front to check out.

After I had all my food in one bag, I tied it to my backpack and made my way home. I should get there with enough time to make Charlie's dinner and clean the house. I sighed in relief. Nothing was worse than being late. I pulled up into the driveway and jumped off my skateboard, putting it into the bush by the side of the road where no one would be able to see it or find it unless they knew it was there.

I untied my bag off food from my back and ran upstairs to my room. I pulled out all my medical supplies and fit them in its drawer. I then stocked my mini fridge with all my food and closed it. I had gotten the mini fridge at a garage sale I was passing, and the woman standing there was kind enough that she gave it to me for free, since nobody else would buy it.

I felt forever in her debt, but she said it was no problem, that they'd been wanting to get rid of that old thing for the past couple years. I've had it since that day, and its sat in my closet, keeping my food cold and undiscovered and safe. The little thing never made a sound, even when it was being opened it was silent. After I put my bag on top of my mini fridge I closed the closet door and went downstairs to start Charlie's dinner.

I was making him some Fish Fry, Charlie's favorite. I hadn't made it in about a week or so now. Fish Fry took a while to make so while I was making it I was cleaning up the kitchen, making it spotless. After I cleaned the kitchen I cleaned the living room and the front hallway, picking up Charlie's messes. I moved all the laundry along and was almost finished with the Fish Fry when I glanced up at the clock. Charlie would be here in ten minutes, plenty of time for me to finish and set up his dinner and disappear from his sight. I finished Charlie's dinner and set it on the table with a cold beer.

I then scurried upstairs as I heard Charlie's cruiser pull into the driveway. He slammed the cruiser door and I could hear the crunch of his boots as his feet made its way to the front door. I listened to him open the door and stayed as silent as a mouse with a cat nearby, which was exactly the case right now. He took off his boots, shrugged out of his jacket, and hung up his gun belt. I sighed quietly in relief. The gun was put up. When he began eating his dinner, I could hear the satisfied groans and sounds from him getting up to get a third helping of Fish Fry. He also got another beer. I always tried to make everything as good as I could in the house, then I'm less likely to get beaten that night. I'm hoping that's the case for tonight, after what happened last night.

I opened my closet door and sat down in front of my medical kit and unwrapped my bandages. It was a miracle no one saw me in school today, no one beat me up or shut me away. I was perfect with that. Nothing pleased me more than the possibility of wiggling out of a beating and not having any problems at school. And all in the same day! That made this a good day. I looked over my wounds.

My legs were covered in bruises, and I had an unusually large black bruise on my leg from where Charlie stepped on my. I had purple and black blotches all over my stomach, but I could tell that my broken ribs were healing nicely. I already knew how to set any broken bone in my body and how to deal with it so it would heal nicely while I skateboarded and went to school. My arms had some bruises but they were all purple or blue, no black ones there. The scars had skinned over nicely, and needed no more healing. They would just sit that way the rest of my life. No one ever saw my arms anyway, so it wouldn't make a difference.

The scar on my back was the same as my arms, permanent, but at least sealed over healthily. They just looked bad, though they weren't infected or still healing. I always was a quick healer when it came to scars.

Bruises on the other hand took days, even weeks for me to get rid of. It looked like some of these would take at least a week and a half to get rid of, plus the fact that they wouldn't go away for a while thanks to Charlie always making them worse. The one on my stomach wasn't getting infected but it still hurt, and it looked like it had bled a little more today. I re-wrapped my stomach and got in my pajamas. The arms and back were healed enough they didn't need it.

My wardrobe was sadly small. I had only four pairs of jeans and four shirts, plus two spaghetti strap tank tops. I also had one thin jacket and two pairs of dirty white tennis shoes with only three pairs of socks. All my shirts were long sleeved and would probably look nice on me, except of how horrible Charlie makes me look. I suppose I would be beautiful, if I didn't have a bruised and scarred body.

I had healthy hair. My pale skin looked nice with my milk chocolate brown eyes and wavy brown hair. But I was never seen as beautiful, or lovely or nice looking even. I didn't even look plain anymore, I looked horrible. I was considered the ugliest girl in the school and was always beaten up and picked on. I took it all in silence; I'd had way worse than them. Everyone called me a bitch, or a slut. Said I looked like a dead animal. I didn't care though. The more invisible I became, the better.

I knew it was early, but if I went to bed early, maybe Charlie would leave me alone. I used to talk in my sleep, but that stopped when I was six, after being beaten by Charlie for a year. It just went away. I would sleep talk, even now, but I don't. Because of Charlie. So I sleep in silence while he snores the house down. I don't care. When he's asleep he can't hurt me. I went to sleep and knew that god was blessing me, because this would be my second night in a row with a dreamless, refreshing sleep. Charlie didn't come in to beat me last night; he had enough beer that he passed out in his room.

When I awoke in the morning I hopped up and set out my clothes . I unwrapped my bandages and took an amazingly hot shower that felt great on my skin. After I got out I rewrapped my stomach and got dressed. Today I was wearing one of my four identical blue jeans and a pair of my dirty white tennis shoes. I was also wearing my soft blue long sleeved shirt. It looked nice with my skin and it was nice and soft, very airy too. It was my favorite shirt. I put on my dark blue plain jacket over it and grabbed a yogurt out of my mini-fridge.

I walked quietly down the steps and grabbed a spoon, eating my yogurt in peace and silence. After I finished I washed and dried the spoon in the sink and threw away the yogurt cup.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 4**

I quietly went out the front door and grabbed my board. As soon as I got on my board and began boarding away did I breathe a sigh of relief. I boarded and did tricks all the way to school. When I was about halfway to school I could hear a car slowly driving past me; the person driving was probably watching me board. I didn't care; I was having too much fun. I did a spin and flip and then did my special, homemade trick. The Bella Ball I called it. I loved my trick. I sped up for it and when I reached a fence line I railed on it and at the end I stepped on the back of the board, propelling myself into the air and doing a sideways spinning flip, landing with perfection.

It was amazing. I was having so much fun, and school was just ahead, along with my awaiting ramp. I glanced to the side of me to look at the car that had been following me and watching me board.

It was the Cullen's and the Hale's. They were all staring at me openmouthed. Emmett was smiling hugely and giving me the thumbs up, and little Alice looked all excited, her eyes wide with anticipation. The other three were just staring with their mouths open. I shrugged and sped up towards my ramp, knowing they were watching me. I waved at the kind old man, who was as always sitting on his front porch, watching me. I sped up the ramp, flipped, and landed on the sidewalk in the school grounds.

I jumped off my board and carried it at my side as I went into school. Before I went inside I glanced back at the parking lot. The Cullen's and Hale's had pulled in and parked, and they were all staring at me. I could hear Emmett's booming laugh as they were talking. I turned around and went into the hallways, towards my locker. I threw my board in my locker and, after locking it up, went to first hour English. I remembered I had this class with Rosalie and grimaced at what might happen.

I sat in my seat in the back of the room and grabbed my finished typed essay and all my other work and laid it on Miss Greer's desk. I sat back down in my seat and sketched in my sketchbook again. I decided I'd sketch the classroom while it was vacant. I was finished with the sketch by the time the class started to come in, and I had to say, I couldn't tell much of the difference between my sketch and the classroom itself. I sat in my seat and watched as the students and the teacher entered.

When Miss Greer reached her desk she sat down and began looking over all my work. She smiled up at me and held out my notebook with my notes and stuff in it for me to take back. I got up and quietly made my way up front to grab my notebook.

As I sat back in my seat Rosalie walked through the door and her eyes immediately fell to me. She sat down next to me and a moment later I felt a sheet of paper hit my arm. I sighed and glanced down, reading it for a moment.

**Hey, nice boarding out there this morning. - Rosalie**

I sighed and responded to her. I really didn't want to have a conversation with Rosalie, since by the looks of it she'd be a top dog at messing with me later on. I responded to her anyways.

**Thanks . I like boarding, its one of those spirit freers, you know? **She probably thought I was crazy and would probably ask if I was mentally retarded or something. I didn't care. She slid the paper back and I read what she said in surprise.

**Yeah, I know how you feel. That's me only with fixing and working on cars. I love cars. **

If it weren't for the fact that she'll probably be teasing me in a week or so, we could probably be good friends. She liked cars. A lot. That was awesome.

**Really? You like cars too? I never would've guessed. Wow. That's awesome. What's your favorite car, and what car project are you working on right now? **

She smiled and spent a minute writing about the car she was working on and stuff like that. We had a nice conversation all and all. When the bell rang I stood up to leave but she put a hand on my arm.

"Hey, you should come sit by us at lunch, you would get along great with Emmett, he likes cars and sports and stuff. So whadd'ya say? " Rosalie asked. I couldn't believe this. Rosalie wanted me to sit by her at lunch. Me. Of all people. I nodded my head to her and turned away to go to math class.

Math class was one place where I was alone and could work in peace and feel happy about everything. I turned in all my math work to Mister Dreemon and went to my seat in the back of the room. I copied everything on the board and had no problems keeping up with the lecture, and was always the first in the class to have my work done. I sat back in my seat and watched the clock time tick by.

I counted down the seconds until the bell rang and packed up my stuff. The moment the bell rang I was already out of my seat and making my way out of the room. As I entered the Art room, I inhaled. Ah, the wonderful smell of fresh paints. I was hoping I'd get to paint today. I went over to Miss Streek and asked if I could get an easel and a canvas to paint on. She told me yes and went to get the canvas and easel for me while I grabbed my paints. I set the paints at my desk and set up the easel and canvas she brought back.

As I was sitting there, everyone else filed into the room, and I still hadn't thought of what to paint. Suddenly inspiration hit me, and I began painting away. I felt the presence of someone standing behind me, watching me paint. I ignored it; I was enjoying this too much. I was too deep in my work to care. I painted a small meadow, with the most beautiful flowers throughout it, and trees surrounding it on all sides. I painted the multiple shades of gray and white along the sky and added all the details to the trees and grass, so it looked like you were actually there, and it just had that beautiful, mysterious look to it.

When I was almost done I added the final touches; I painted a little girl. I painted a little girl, of a bout five years old, sitting in the center of the meadow. She had her knees brought up to her chest and she looked like she was crying. Her light brown hair had fallen down around her shoulders and back, and she looked so fragile, so special. She was facing away from me, curled up and crying. I added some rays of sunlight that shined down on her and finished off the painting. I loved it. It looked amazing.

I heard someone whistle lowly at my painting from behind me and I turned around. Edward Cullen was standing there looking at my painting. I was a little shocked at first; I didn't realize he was in this class too. But I guess that's to be expected in a school this tiny. I decided I'd ignore him for the time being and grabbed the easel and canvas, putting the easel away and showing the canvas to Miss Streek.

She looked overjoyed at my painting and told me how proud I should be of it. She said I could take this one home if I wanted. I was overjoyed. I knew it would go in my closet, but that was okay. I would pull it out to look at it sometimes. I put the canvas away for later and went back to my seat. Edward was sitting next to it, but I ignored him. I opened my sketchbook and immediately forgot about his presence as I flipped to the first available blank page. I thought for a moment, then began to sketch. Edward was looking over my shoulder, watching the sketched image begin to appear, and I heard him gasp quietly at the image, but I ignored it, not remembering he was there.

I was sketching his family from lunch yesterday. I sketched them all sitting there, laughing and having a good time. They were in their circle on the grass, Emmett was in the process of messing with Jasper's hair, and Alice was laughing with Rosalie at the sight. Edward was smiling his crooked smile and laughing with them. That was the moment I had smiled yesterday, for no reason at all. Just because I felt pure joy from watching them.

I suppose this would mean I had a photographic memory, which was probably true. But I didn't care, as long as I got my pictures right, I was content. I finished sketching the group of them and then made the background with all the other students and what they were doing. When I was finished I admired my work and then remembered that Edward was sitting right there, looking at my picture, and I froze. I saw a pale hand reach out in front of me and grab my sketchbook, and I didn't move. I only thawed out when the sketchbook was out of my sight, and I could hear Edward going through my sketches.

I glanced over his shoulder at all the sketches he was looking at. The only other person in the world who had seen those sketches besides me was Miss Streek, and she never saw the meaning of the pictures, just the beauty. But I could tell from Edward's eyes that he understood the meaning and feelings behind every picture. Maybe the feelings more than the meanings, but they were apparently clear enough. When he was done he slid the sketchbook back to me and just sat there in deep concentration, as if he was trying to remember something important. Like he was trying to figure something out. After a while he softened and loosened up, sighing and exhaling the breathe he had apparently been holding.

After a moment of coming back into the real world, he looked over at me. He stared into my eyes, as if searching for something. He didn't seem satisfied with what he found there apparently, because he kept searching. I knew what he was looking for. He was looking for the life in my eyes. For the pain, the sorrow. I hid them all behind blankness and a look of dead zombie-like eyes. He kept searching and soon I felt myself thawing out.

The life was starting to creep into my eyes, and I couldn't stop it. The life, the sorrow, the pain, every emotion I commonly felt, creeped back into my eyes and Edward saw it, he saw it all. I figured since its going back anyways I might as well let it loose. His eyes widened a little at the sight of it. He could now see every fiber of pain and hurt in me, right there in my eyes. And the force of it had shocked him.

He looked so upset, so sorry for me. That was a new one. He seemed like he was hurting at the sight of me. I closed my eyes, holding back anything else, for I knew he didn't want to see all the loneliness and dread enter my eyes too, I had held those back for his sake. He looked so heartbroken, and I was confused by that. _Why would he feel heartbroken for my sake? I wasn't anything special, everyone hated me. Why do these new kids care so much? First Rosalie, then Edward? _I thought.

I just didn't get it, at all. The bell rang, releasing us all from Art, and I walked up to Miss Streek's desk first, as always, and showed her my sketches. She looked at my sketch from in here and the one I did this morning and marked it down in her grade book.

I entered history class and helped Rosalie with her work today, since I was done, and was in Swedish before I could blink, or so it seemed. As I was entering class Miss Teemor, a Swedish woman as it happened, started talking to me in her native tongue. "Bella, how var din dag? Auktoriserat inte du få all din verk gjort och vända alt i? " (Translated:"Bella, how was your day? Did you get all your work done and turn it all in? ")

I smiled and easily replied "Ja Missa Teemor, I did. I har en underbar day. Otherwise dess samma gammal samma old, as alltid. " (Translated:"Yes Miss Teemor, I did. I am having a wonderful day. Otherwise its same old same old, as always. ").

I smiled to her and she smiled back and said to me "JAG tänka du har bemästrat Svensk ung Ringklocka! Congradulations! Jag er så stolt av du! " (Translated:"I think you have mastered Swedish young Bella! Congradulations! I'm so proud of you! ") I smiled to her, I was happy too. This meant I could officially start Dutch class, early even. I was so excited. I thanked Miss Teemor and she said I could go to the office now and Miss Nole would switch my schedule from Swedish to Dutch without messing with the rest of my schedule. I thanked her again and left the class.

I went to the office and Miss Nole had no problems switching my schedule so that I had Dutch, and this way none of my other classes got moved. She told me class would be out soon and that I could just head straight for the cafeteria. I nodded to her and left, heading for the cafeteria to grab a salad and a green apple.

I went outside and sat under my tree, waiting for the bell to ring. It rang right when I finished my salad. I got up and threw my salad away, and sat back down in my spot, with my apple; I'd eat it in a minute. I was looking for Rosalie. After about five minutes the Cullen's and Hale's made their way outside and sat where they did yesterday. When Rosalie sat down she didn't pay attention to the others; her eyes were scanning the school, looking for me.

I sighed and a small smile graced my lips at the fact that she actually wanted me to sit with them. I got up and started walking toward them, when Rosalie saw me she waved me over enthusiastically, and I couldn't help but smile. She patted the spot between her and Edward and I obliged and sat down.

Edward looked up at me in surprise when I sat down next to Rosalie, as did everyone else. I didn't mind, I was used to the stares. Emmett cracked a huge grin and waved, I waved back, I couldn't help but smile too. Rosalie spoke up then.

"Guys, this is Bella, I have English and History with her. " she said.

Emmett laughed and stuck out his hand. I shook it and he said" Hey Bella! I'm Emmett! "

"I know" I said. It was no big deal that I knew his name, but he looked surprised by it and said "You know my name? " I looked up at all their confused expressions.

"Huh? Yeah. I heard you all talking yesterday and got your names from it. Your Emmett and Alice and Jasper and Edward" I said to them, pointing to them each in turn. They all looked shocked, but Emmett recovered quickly and laughed his booming laugh. The others joined in and once our laughter died away they were all watching me.

I took a couple bites from my apple. Apparently Emmett doesn't understand the concept of silence because he said "Hey, that was some awesome skateboarding you did this morning Bells, seriously. I didn't know anybody could board that good! " He laughed and I laughed too.

"Yeah I remember, you were giving me the big thumbs up, yeah. "I laughed again and thought back to skateboarding this morning.

"So, Bella, what is it you like to do?" Edward asked me. The others all turned their eyes towards me questionably.

I sighed and answered "Well, I love to draw, sketch, and paint as Edward found out this morning. And as Rosalie found out this morning I love sports, skateboarding and cars. I love music and can play the flute, piano, guitar, and drums. I am an excellent singer and an advanced student. Next week I'll be taking math, science, and English with a college teacher every day as my lessons. I am fluent in English, Spanish, French, Swedish, and German. Tomorrow I start learning Dutch. I am a health expert and could easily work as a doctor or nurse, and I love apples. "I concluded. They all stared at me open mouthed and Emmett whistled.

"Wow" Edward and Alice said together. I smiled shyly and continued to eat my apple. When they all thawed out they kept staring at me. Alice looked overly excited, and I couldn't figure out why.

"You okay Alice? You look kinda keyed up there girl. "I said to Alice. Instead of Alice answering me, Edward did.

"Alice is also fluent in Spanish, she lived in Mexico for about a year before she was adopted, so she picked up on the language. Alice has never meant anyone else who was fluent in Spanish. " he told me quietly. I smiled and started conversing with the excited Alice in Spanish, and we both talked a lot faster than normal as we spoke, so no-one could really understand us. But we could understand each other quite easily, and we were having a good time. After a while we stopped talking and laughed. Alice jumped up and ran over to hug me, and I stiffened in surprise. Everybody laughed and I joined them; I was actually having a good time. The bell rang, dismissing us to our classes.

When I entered science class I walked straight over to Mister Harris and gave him my work, which I had completed that morning. He nodded to me after looking it over and I went to the back of the room to my seat. Science went by way too fast, and I knew that meant something was going to happen.

I sighed and knew I was probably going to get picked on by someone after gym, probably get shoved in a locker or beaten up or something. Maybe I could convince them to leave me alone if I showed them a few bruises, saying I already got beaten up today. It usually worked, but then the next day they wouldn't care. It was the way my schedule worked.

As I entered the girl's locker room I knew I wasn't getting out of this one. The moment I walked in two people grabbed both my arms and pulled me to the back corner of the locker room. Of course it was Lauren and her cronies, Jessica and Angela. Angela used to be a nice girl, she used to be shy and care about me a bit, but now she was just as bad as Jessica. Always picking on me and teasing me. Beating me up and trying to mess with my self-esteem.

That was the ironic part. What self-esteem?

They pulled me into the back and Jessica grabbed my hair and pulled on it viscously. They expected me to be in pain? To sob and fall on the floor, begging them to stop? Ha, yeah right. I just stood, not moving at all, for the hair pulling didn't do anything for me. I considered my options. I could either stay here while they kick me. . . or I could pull their hair once and have them fall to the floor while I walk away to get changed and get into gym where the teachers and Emmett were. I chose plan B.

Before Lauren could punch me I grabbed her and Jessica's hair in one hand and Angela's in another and pulled on it once. They all yelled "Ow!" and fell to the ground, holding their hair. I jogged to my stuff and changed before they got up. When Lauren got up off the floor I sprung up and out into the gym. We had a free hour to mingle with the guys today. I was fervently grateful and I went to stand by Emmett and Alice, knowing the girls would be after me in a heartbeat.

"Hey bells!" Emmett said excitedly. I laughed at him; he was such a child. Alice laughed too; it sounded like wind chimes, and smiled. Right about then Lauren, Jessica, and Angela came out of the girl's locker room looking for me. When they saw me, they _only_ saw me. That could be used to my advantage.

"Hey Emmett," I said, and Emmett looked my direction questionably, "would you like to help me? I need you to do a little scaring. "The moment I said the word scaring Emmett's big grin lit up his face and he nodded enthusiastically.

"Okay, all you gotta do is be all tough and menacing for me, okay? Like guard type menacing. I just need your help for a sec, okay? "I asked him. He nodded and easily took on the role of bodyguard, all big and menacing.

"Okay, see those three girls? They're the school bitches as I call them, and they're like to mess with me, so I need you to make sure that they're scared of ya, okay? "I asked him. He grinned slightly, then took on the menacing role again. Lauren, Angela, and Jessica still didn't notice Emmett in the slightest and were almost to me.

When they were about ten feet in front of me they slowed down slightly and Lauren said "You're gonna pay for that Swannie!" She came and stood directly in front of me and threw a punch at my face, which I easily dodged. Then she kicked me in the stomach, and I almost doubled over. That's when Emmett decided to let his presence be known. He picked up Lauren and held her by her shoulders and stared at her.

He wasn't acting any more, he was mad. He didn't seem to realize that this was the way my life went at school, every day. And he already hated it. He stared at Lauren angrily and I could tell he was debating on whether or not he should punch her straight in the face. Lauren and the others were staring at Emmett with wide, fearful eyes. They were truly afraid of him. I don't blame them. I'd be afraid too.

"You leave Bella alone, got it? "Emmett asked in a deadly quiet voice. They all nodded their heads frantically and he set Lauren down. The moment her feet touched the floor the three of them scurried away to the opposite side of the gym. I sighed in relief and put my hands on my stomach, finding the bruise from where Lauren kicked me and wincing at the spot she picked. She kicked me where Charlie had stabbed me, and now it felt like it was bleeding again, through the wrapping now. That was frustrating.

"Thanks Emmett" I told him. He just nodded, his jaw still tense and his eyes murderous. He calmed down after a moment and looked over at me. Lucky me that every year in gym I was allowed to wear sports pants and a long sleeved shirt, otherwise I'd be in huge trouble. Emmett checked me over for a moment and I told Alice that I needed to go in the locker room for a moment, and she said she'd come with me.

We went in the locker room and I hurried over to my bag. I pulled out my large wrapping roll and pulled up my shirt a little. I would normally re-wrap it, but now I think I should just wrap the new gauze around the old. It would work just as nicely. I pulled up my shirt and wrapped the gauze around the original wrap and sealed it off. I pulled my shirt back down and could feel that the bleeding had stopped for the most part, thanks to the new layer to add pressure to.

I put my wrapper away and looked up at Alice. She was frozen nearly mid-step staring at my stomach. Her eyes flickering between my stomach and my eyes, trying to figure out what had happened. I sighed and she rested on my eyes.

"It's okay Alice, I accidentally tripped the other day and got a cut on my stomach, the kick just reopened it is all." I lied to her. It sounded convincing, but I could tell she didn't buy it at all. She kept eyeing my stomach. I sighed and grabbed her hand, leading her back into the gym towards Emmett. He was playing basketball with the other guys.

Alice sat down, but I didn't sit with her; I wanted to play. When Emmett's team scored a point I called to Emmett.

"Hey Emmett! Mind if I join? "I asked him. He looked at the other guys and they all shrugged. He said "Sure. You can be on my team. We'll go easy on ya. " He laughed. I snorted.

"Seriously, if you go easy on me there's no fun at all. Let's do this! " I told him, jogging to his side. He glanced at me sideways and I nodded to him. He said "Okay, we won't. Just watch yourself. " I laughed at him and the game started. I loved sports. Not only did I love watching them, but I was good at them too. I stole the ball easily from Tyler and he tried to kick me as I stole it, but I was too fast. I dribbled down the court, and made a shot from just after mid-court.

The court was small, so that wasn't a huge distance, but for a girl it should have been. Tyler's team was just staring at me and Emmett's team was all cheering. I smiled and played some more. By the end of the hour, Emmett's team was in the lead by 21 points. The whole team gave me high-fives and we all cheered together. I had gotten most of our points, being so small.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 5**

I went back into the locker rooms to change and when I came out Alice and Emmett were waiting for me. I didn't know why, so I just walked along while they followed. I walked to my locker and grabbed my board, carrying it outside. They were still following me. Before I got on my board Alice asked "Hey Bella, do you wanna come over and hang out today? We'll drive you home when you need to go. " she said. I contemplated for a moment. I didn't have work today, and Charlie wouldn't be home until eight tonight, since its Tuesday, which meant I wouldn't have to get home until seven. It was 2:30 now. Plenty of time.

"Sure Alice, I'd love too" I told her. She squealed loudly and started bouncing and talking, constantly talking. Its like she had no energy limit. Bouncing around me in circles and talking at high speed about makeovers and fashion. I couldn't tune her out because she was right in my ear. I sighed and walked behind Emmett to the shiny silver Volvo and the red M3. I glanced at the Volvo for a moment but then I was looking at the M3.

I liked M3s, they were nice cars. I stroked my hand on the hood of the car and walked around it once, looking at all the visible details and studying the car, estimating its stats. I smiled at the thought of riding in it. Rosalie seemed to notice my distraction and smiled.

"How do you like my car Bella?" she asked me while she stroked the hood of the shiny red M3. I was shocked; I didn't realize this was Rosalie's car, though now once I compared the two, I could understand why she chose it. It had the nice color of rose red, perfect for her name, and it was sleek and beautiful. It showed her personality and was something she could easily say "mine" to and get away with it. It wasn't hard to imagine Rosalie driving this car down a sunny highway with her golden hair flying out the window.

"It's beautiful. A red M3 convertible with a nice interior and I'm expecting a killer engine, probably with double headers, am I right? "I asked complimenting her.

She nodded. "That's right. Double headers and wow does my baby purr. "She rubbed the hood again, admiring her baby like there was nothing else in the world. I chuckled quietly at the sight. It's not every day you got to see someone like Rosalie totally out of the blue with her car. I shook my head slightly to rid myself of the picture implanting itself in my head, of me stroking the car I wanted. A black solstice convertible; the perfect car for me. One of those cars that say _"Catch me if you can". _

I grinned slightly but I don't think the others noticed. After a minute or two Rosalie came out of her reverie and hopped in. She waved her hand at me for me to sit next to her, and I practically melted. Rosalie was asking me to ride in her shiny red M3 convertible. I just about died, and hopped in gratefully and gracefully. Alice hopped in the backseat, obviously excited that we were heading home so she could play Bella Barbie or something with me. I didn't care, I just wanted to ride in the car. Something told me I was going to like Rosalie more than I'd like Alice, but only by a smidge.

As we were pulling out Rosalie shouted to the guys "See you at home boys! " and she sped off. It was thrilling, the speed she was going at. She had her radio turned up and she was practically flying through the streets. The car had no problem with the sharp corners and blind spots in the forks neighborhoods, and zoomed along as if there wasn't any possibility of a crash or collision. Why couldn't I experience this more often? Why couldn't I ever even get to see cars like this? Much less ride in one. Why couldn't I get out and make great friends like Alice and Rosalie and Emmett? I already knew the answer. Charlie.

Charlie was just so damn set on me not having any friends, on no body even having the possibility of finding out. He didn't care about me, hell he didn't care about anything besides himself. I can see the difference in his behavior around me and around every one else. To anyone else you'll see him as the most helpful, brave, and kind man in town. The one who goes out of his way to protect and help people. And then when he comes home its like a light bulb being turned off; the once sunny side of Charlie was gone, and in its place stood the deep darkness.

I just didn't understand it. Why was Charlie always like this to me? Why couldn't I be his little princess growing up like every other girl in the world? Why did I have to suffer?

I had no answer, so I just let that thought hang in my mind for a little while. Trying to figure it out. I barely noticed when the car turned down a side road towards some of the bigger, more beautiful houses. The bigger and nicer the houses got the more spread apart they became, until each house's driveway seemed like its own personal street. Rosalie turned down a mostly hidden side-road that went through the woods, though it seemed as if someone had hand created the pathway, because all the tops of the trees were bent over to make arches all the way down the driveway. Suddenly I could see more light up ahead as we came out of the cover of the shady trees and into a meadow.

The meadow was a gorgeous place, and had the biggest and most beautiful house for probably miles upon miles around. Rosalie stopped the car in front of the front porch and turned off the engine, and everybody filed out. Right about then the shiny silver Volvo came flying around the corner and stopped beside Rosalie's convertible. I turned my attention back to the gorgeous house in front of me. This house looked like it had been built by superior architects, not by some home building company. I whistled quietly. Dang.

The front porch itself was almost as big as my room. It was a wrap-around porch, so it went half way around the house. It was a nice, clean beige. The railing was nicely curved and it looked exquisite. The porch wood itself was also beige, and looked like it hadn't had a single foot step on it. Very nice.

The house was three stories high, and seemed to be attracting what sunlight it could from the dark, cloudy sky. The house was white and had a much more welcoming shade than the porch did for some reason. The driveway ran by the house and around the back; from where I was standing I could barely see the edge of the garage, but I was guessing it was huge too.

I pulled my attention back to the front of the house. It had a double-door with somewhat see-through glass on it, with some beige wood on the actual carvings. The white, beige, and glass mixed together nicely. Alice bounded up the steps and opened the door without hesitation. The inside was even more amazing. The walls and carpets were all various shades of white, which seemed to make the room brighten up. The room could have at one time been several small rooms, and was now the way it was after some walls were knocked down. The back wall was made entirely of glass, where it overlooked the most beautiful backyard and garden. Beyond the garden was a small river and the ever-present forests looming ahead.

The furniture in the room was also white, and there was a dark oak coffee table sitting in front of one of the couches in the living room. In the living room there were two couches and a pair of comfy looking chairs. Against the wall was an expensive looking flat screen TV, which was huge anyways, sitting on top of a dark oak entertainment center. Through the see-through cupboards on the entertainment center I could see a million movies and games. On the side of the TV was a Wii, Gamecube, and Xbox. A solid oak staircase was right in front of the door, leading up to the other floors I presumed.

There was also a beautiful black piano on a raised level near the back of the room. The ivory keys looked so smooth; I longed to reach out and touch them. To the far right of the grand piano was an open doorway that led to the kitchen, which looked warm and inviting. I fell in love with the house immediately. It was so beautiful and exquisite.

Everyone else had filed into the room and were settling into what I presumed to be their usual routines. Emmett and Jasper went to pull out the Xbox and begin a game. Alice and Rosalie sat on one of the couches watching the boys play and were gossiping; I smiled at them. They were the average teenage girls, only they were kinder.

Edward walked over to the grand piano and began playing. I walked quietly over towards him as he played; it was beautiful and I recognized the song immediately. River Flows in You by Yiruma. I loved that song, it always made me feel peaceful. Edward glanced at me as he continued playing and I leaned on the piano.

When he finished I smiled at him and he smiled stunningly in response. "That was beautiful" I told him. He got up from the bench and motioned me towards the keys. I nodded my head in thanks to him and sat down and rubbed the ivory keys for a moment; getting used to the feel. I took a deep breath and thought over the list of my favorite piano songs in my head. I choose one of my own compositions; The Heart of the Broken Revives.

It was about my life actually, about how my heart was so broken and how I was in so much pain and was treated so horribly, it always gave me a slight feeling of dread but, obviously, familiarity. Later on in the song it began to lighten up, like saying "this isn't so bad, things can always get better if you really try". And that was true, things always did get a little better. Near the end it lightened into a mood of happiness and rejoice-fullness, feeling grateful for how things can turn out, about how even when all seems lost, there's always hope. And if given the chance to grow, it could become a reality. I always dreamed about that. Hoping it would one day come true. No one said when that day would come, so I waited for it patiently and painfully, but I was still lucky. I was alive.

I began my song, weaving my way through the complicated and sorrowful melody. I played better than Edward, I already knew that much. I was paying very little attention to the music, it wasn't necessary anymore. I knew this by heart so much, I didn't even have to think about it; I just played and let my thoughts find me. I heard the Xbox get paused and muted and could here the slide of fabric against fabric as the girls got off the couch and the boys got off the floor. I listened to their every step as they walked over towards the piano.

I vaguely heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs and stopping at the foot. I continued to play; it wasn't a short song to say in the least.

I made my way through the depressing melody and I could tell it put the others down too, but I continued to play. I heard little Alice sniffle and the room was silent except for my playing. My melody was getting lighter, like the light at the end of the tunnel was growing; getting easier to see. Becoming real; not a hallucination after all. The melody began to have hope and thoughtfulness, strength and an attitude that says "its almost over, and you can make it. Its right ahead".

I neared the end of the song, ending the last few notes with their beautiful beats of hope. As the last note echoed around the room, all became silent. Edward began clapping, and Alice and Emmett began to join in. Soon all of them were clapping. I looked up from the keys to see Alice and Rosalie's faces full of tears. Edward looked practically heartbroken.

I turned my attention to the base of the stairs, where I had heard someone stop while I was playing. Standing there was a slightly plump woman with caramel colored hair and warm brown eyes. She was wearing some dark beige capri's and a white polo shirt. She also had on some dark beige sandals and a warm smile. She walked over to me and I stuck out my hand; she shook it, introducing herself.

"Hello, I'm Esme Cullen. Edward, Alice, and Emmett are my children and Rosalie and Jasper are my niece and nephew. And you are? "she asked.

"Bella Swan, its very nice to meet you. You have a beautiful house by the way; I love it"I told her. She smiled and thanked me, asking if I was hungry. I politely declined; I wasn't usually very hungry nowadays. I turned my attention back to the others as Esme went into the kitchen. Alice and Rosalie still looked teary-eyes but yet happy at the same time. Emmett was grinning and Jasper seemed to approve of the song. Edward looked less sad than he used to, but still a little weary. He motioned for me to sit at the piano again and play another song. I guessed they had enough sad music for one day, so I decided I'd play a rather cheery song of mine; Rambling Paths.

This song was focused more on dreams than reality. Of how nice life could be and how wonderful the world is, even though I can't see it yet. It was the song I always used to brighten up my day and get me into the groove of things. It was to tell me that even though things look dark, there's always a part of you that can shed some light on the world, a dream that lurks in your mind with the brightest and happiest of feelings.

It had such an open and beautiful feeling to it, like skipping through a field of wildflowers, watching children play on the swings in the park. It was so peaceful and beautiful; it was happy. I hadn't written this song, a man named Mark Salona, an amazing pianist, had. I didn't write it, but I memorized it. It was amazing. When I had finished playing, clapping followed.

Alice had tears in her eyes again, but only slightly. Tears of joy. I stood up and bowed dramatically, everyone laughed. Emmett's booming laugh could be heard echoing throughout the house. I had to join in; it was fun. Carefree and happy. Something I had never fully experienced before.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Edward offered to take me on a tour of the rest of the house. Alice and Rosalie said they would be upstairs in Alice's room, and Edward made them promise not to drag me away when I went to look at their room. Emmett and Jasper went back to playing their Xbox. Edward began giving me a tour of the house, starting with the kitchen.

The kitchen was so open and bright that it made me think of my room as a dark hole. Huge difference in the feeling you get upon entering. Esme's kitchen had light oak counters and an island in the middle of the kitchen. The counters and island's tops had smooth tile on it, like smooth stones.

The whole kitchen was kept neat and tidy. How did Esme find the time to keep the whole house clean? Maybe her kids help her out. That would explain it. There were cupboards and shelves along part of two walls and to the side of the island was a beautiful light oak table. It looked freshly polished and I felt almost afraid to touch it; to disturb its beauty.

Behind the table was a sliding glass door that lead out to the patio and garden. The garden was beautiful; I had no idea how so many beautiful flowers could grow in such a rainy place. The forest looked greener today; healthier. The river a bluer blue than I had ever seen before. It was a breathtaking sight. As if it couldn't get any better, the sun peaked out from behind the clouds for a moment, giving the outside world the look of a fairy tale. I half expected to see Prince Charming riding up on a white horse.

I looked around the kitchen in awe, my eyes came to rest on Edward. He was watching me with what looked like amusement. I wondered why. Did I have something on my face? Was my hair frizzy? Or did I just look like a moron.

"You know, its almost like you've never seen a house before. Watching the shine in your eyes as you take in all the details; like you've never seen beauty before. "he said to me. My heart fluttered slightly in my chest. That was beautiful, the way he had said it; like poetry. It was beautiful. I began looking at Edward Cullen through new eyes; eyes that had never before seen beauty in people and places; only in words and sounds. In nature too, but never in anything man-made like a house. Or even people.

I realized I had been staring at him the whole time, though I could tell I probably didn't look too stupid; I had my arms slightly in front of me, with my right wrist atop my left, my head was tilted to the side a bit, and I could feel my eyes gleaming with thoughtfulness. I could feel what I looked like from the inside-out without moving a muscle.

"Well, I've never seen such beautiful places before; its breathtaking. " I told him truthfully. Of coarse I left out all the other possible parts that could go in there. Like how I had seen any beauty because of Charlie, or because of the darkness in me I couldn't see any beauty in people; although that tended to be partly their fault too. Of coarse Edward and the others know nothing about all this; they thought I was just another girl.

I sighed quietly, Edward seemed to hear it and gave me a questioning look. I shook my head at him, thinking about how he couldn't know. He just can't. If he found out. . . the world would end. And I would surely die. I really wasn't in the mood for dieing right now; try me again later, then maybe I'll say yes. But no, I knew I would never do that. I liked my life, though it was horrible and unfair, it was my life. And I was prepared to deal with it.

One of the things I had also kept a secret from the Cullens(and my father) was the fact that I could probably take out Edward and Jasper, possibly Emmett too, though I wasn't sure yet. Charlie, on the other hand, was another matter entirely. I couldn't beat him; he was too strong, smart, and fast.

I was a black-belt in martial arts and karate, I was a master at all the arts of fighting and attacking with any weapon, and I would probably make a great soldier in the army. I was tough, strong, smart, and powerful. Just not powerful enough to beat Charlie; but then again, who was? Nobody I've ever heard of, that's for sure. I looked around, for a moment forgetting where I really was. Then I remembered. Oh. The Cullen's. A tour of the house. Shoot! I glanced up at the clock and sighed in relief; I still had a few hours left til I needed to start heading out.

I took a deep, steadying breathe to calm myself and reopened my eyes. Edward started walking towards the grand oak staircase and I gladly followed him. He led us up to the second floor, telling me which room was which as I glanced inside them. The first door was Rosalie and Emmett's room as Edward pointed out to me. Their room was huge! The room had red walls and golden carpeting; the whole room had a look of love and royalty together as one in it.

There was a huge king-sized bed against the wall to the right with a red and gold comforter. The curtains were golden as well as the carpet. There was a black steel vanity which was huge and full of makeup and stuff. The room was also very neat and tidy, which suprised me. My room would be neat and tidy. . . if I could keep it that way with Charlie around. I closed the door and we moved onto the next one. Carlisle and Esme's room.

Carlisle and Esme's room was made up of some light gold, white, and beige as the theme. There was a small balcony on the back side of the room, though that whole wall was already made of glass. The tiles on the floor were like neat, smooth castle stone from a good six hundred years ago. It gave you an ancient feeling, like you expect a queen to walk out of the closet or a princess with golden curls to come bouncing through the room. I smiled at the thought of it and moved on. Carlisle's study.

Carlisle's study was a smaller room with a fair sized mahogany desk in the center of the room, with tall, dark bookshelves simply stuffed with books lining the walls on all sides, except the glass wall; that was still pure. Across the hall was Esme's study, which had a huge desk full of blueprints and house plans and models. The whole room was full of file cabinets with documents and the such, and to the right of the door was a small lounging center, for relaxing while she works.

Edward led me up the next flight of stairs, pointing out the few remaining doors. The first one, to my left, was Alice and Jasper's room. When I opened the door Alice and Rosalie were sitting on Alice's huge bed talking and doing their nails. They smiled and waved and I waved back at them, looking at their room. The walls were a pink color, perfect for Alice. It made you feel all bubbly and happy inside, like you could feel the happiness radiating from the room.

The bed was huge with bed posts reaching the ceiling and the comforter was pink, purple, white, and blue. There was a vanity across from the bed, even bigger than Rosalie's. She had a huge closet, the doors for it were open and it looked like an isle in a store to me; so many clothes. The carpet was a pretty blue color that accented the walls and bed. I gave them one more small wave before leaving.

Across the hall from Alice's room was Jasper's study. It was very simple and I immediately loved it. It had light brown walls with a golden carpet laid out over the wood flooring. There was a lounging chair and a pair of comfy looking chairs next to it. There were a few bookshelves in here full of books, and near the back wall was a computer on a desk. It all had a very simple feeling and made me relax instantly. Edward closed the door and we moved on. When we passed one of the rooms, Edwards told me it was just a guest room, and he opened the last door at the end of the hallway.

The room was so comforting I relaxed further and looked upon the room with bright eyes. I loved this room already. There were a few bookshelves; one had books, the other two was full of cd's. There was a huge stereo system by one of the walls and the bed was on the opposite side. The room had a very faint gold, beige, and white theme to it. The carpet was a light gold, almost a strange beige. The walls were white, and the curtains were beige.

The back wall was, again, all glass. It had a door in it though, leading to another small balcony made of beige stone. The bed had light gold comforters and white designs in the fabric, making patterns all over the bed. There was a small, inviting black leather sofa near the balcony. It was amazing. I realized Edward hadn't told me who's room it was, so I assumed it was his. I smiled slightly and walked in, over to the cd's to look at his music.

Edward eyes me warily, and I glanced his way curiously. After a moment of us staring at each other, he raised his eyebrows. I laughed; the expression on his face was hilarious. I stopped looking at the cd's and walked out to the balcony, resting my forearms on the railing. I stared out at the beautiful blue river and the lush green forests. I could probably never leave forks, it was too beautiful on nice day. I sighed longingly and rested my head on my arms, watching the birds fly by and the breeze play with the trees. It was all very peaceful and serene.

I glanced at my watch and sighed in regret; it was about time for me to go. I walked back into Edward's room and Edward looked at me questionably.

"I have to be heading home about now; its getting late. "I told him. He nodded his head in understanding and in one fluid movement got up from the couch. He thought he understood, but he didn't. He had no idea. None of them did. He told me he'd drive me home and I said goodbye to the girls and the guys downstairs. I received a bone-crushing hug from Emmett. I laughed as he swung me around. He set me back on my feet and I waved goodbye once more before walking with Edward to his shiny Volvo.

Edward opened the passenger side door to his Volvo and I stared at it for a moment. Was he serious? He was holding open a door for me like a gentleman; a type of man I had never encountered before. Ever. Wow. Edward gently took my arm and lowered me into the seat, closing the door behind me.

Shoot! He was probably starting to think I was mentally retarded or something! Dangit! Why did I do that? I can always think straight when something unexpected happens; that's what makes me such an advanced student. And here I sit, looking like a complete idiot when a guy opens a car door for me. How stupid!

I hit myself on the forehead with the heel of my hand multiple times before Edward got in the car, stopping when I heard his door open. I rested my head back against the seat in my own frustration and closed my eyes; being angry with myself. No wonder Charlie hated me! I could be a complete moron when I put my mind to it! I felt the car quietly purr to life and start to take off. It was very smooth; no bumps. After about two minutes of complete silence I sighed and said "Sorry about that, I just kind of lost it for a moment. No ones ever done that for me before. "

My voice was kinda tight and strained, and I knew it was because I was so frustrated with myself. I opened my eyes and glanced over at Edward; at least he didn't look mad. He looked amused, as if what I had just said was funny. How was that funny? I didn't see any way in which that could be seen as funny. Nope, not one bit.

"You mean that every man you've ever met in your _entire_ life has never once opened a door for you before? I may have to fix that Miss Swan" he said, teasing me. He wiggled his eyebrows and I laughed at him; at least he knew how to cheer someone up. Slightly.

I saw my house up ahead and my stomach clenched; Charlie would probably be home soon. I wonder if I could wiggle out of punishment tonight. I tried to think of something extra-special I could do for Charlie, and a spark of inspiration hit. When Edward pulled up to my house I told him goodbye and practically ran to the front door. I had so much work to do, and so little time to do it.

Once I got inside I closed the front door, slipped off my plain blue jacket, and got to work. First, I started Charlie's dinner, Lobster with some salad and fries, a baked potato was on the side. Once that was cooking, I set to cleaning up the living room, setting it to Charlie's wishes and doing the same to his room. I went back down to the kitchen just as the oven beeped. I took out Charlie's dinner and set it on the table and got out two beer bottles for him.

Making sure everything was as it should be, I ran to the door to grab my jacket from alongside it, and dashed upstairs. I opened my closet and pulled out a green apple and started munching on it; I was a little hungry.

I watched as Charlie's cruiser pulled into the driveway and he sauntered out of it. He walked lazily to the front door and I could see him stop on the door step smelling his dinner before he stepped inside. I could hear his approval from downstairs; that's a good sign. Maybe my beating would be less painful tonight.

I kept that thought in my head, listening to his every move and sound as I quietly munched. I finished my apple quickly and quietly discarded the remains. I sat on the hardwood floor; listening as Charlie ate his dinner. I heard him grunt as he stood and walked over to the living room. I silently and stealthily made my way down the stairs to clean up his mess without him noticing.

I looked over what was left; the remains of the food were trashy and un-edible, but there was a brighter side to what else I saw. Charlie had one of his two beer bottles still sitting on the table, unopened. I grinned slightly and it faded as I cleaned up his mess, also putting the bottle back in the fridge with practiced silence.

As I was heading up the stairs I heard Charlie in the living room watching some game. He was encouraging the players as if they could hear him. I shook my head and continued up the stairs when I heard Charlie yawn. He was tired. He'd be asleep soon. I might get out of a beating. Amazing.

I didn't start happy dancing yet, not with Charlie in the house and awake. I'd do a happy dance tomorrow morning on my way to school. I'd done it before; it always made me feel light, carefree, and happy for once, I loved it.

I would dance on my skateboard, and if anyone saw me they'd almost smile, some even would, because of the happiness I felt. I was almost never happy, except for on occasions like this. Occasions where I wouldn't get beaten, and where maybe there was a little added bonus too. Like eating some leftover dinner from Charlie, or talking to someone like Edward who doesn't think I'm a freak.

I actually smiled to myself for a moment, then it quickly vanished as I heard heavy feet slowly making their way up the stairs. Either he was tired, or he wanted the creepy 'im coming to get you' effect. Or maybe both. I just hoped he was just tired and would let me be tonight; I needed a break after the knife thing.

I held my breath and listened as he stopped in front of my door. He opened it and I looked up at him, but he didn't look like he was going to beat me; he just looked really tired.

"Thanks for dinner Bells; that was the best lobster I've ever had. No beating tonight or tomorrow night if you behave. "He told me dully and closed my door. I stared at the door in complete and utter shock, with also a growing feeling of excitement and pleasure. Moments later I could hear Charlie's famous snores. Nothing could wake him up now, not til' at least 7 tomorrow morning. Sweet.

I waited on the floor another two minutes until Charlie's snores got slightly deeper and I was absolutely positive it was safe. I opened my door and treaded lightly to the bathroom to take a quick shower and clean up. I took a nice warm shower, letting the water run down my skin and freshen me up. I applied my favorite shampoo; it smelled like fresh forests and trees, like the most peaceful and beautiful place in the world. If it existed. I'd never go there, but the smell made me think as such anyways.

I cringed slightly when the hot water first went over all my scars, but otherwise I was fine. I put in my conditioner which was soft and smooth and cleaned my hair, making it easy to brush and clean. It always cleaned it up.

After I was clean and had shaved my legs I hopped out of the shower and dried off. Then, I brushed through my hair and braided it into two braids on my shoulders. I looked kind of cute. I made sure it was nice and tight and then I put away the brush. I brushed my teeth, rubbed my face a moment to help keep the circulation going and checked all my bruises and scars. The bruises were fading slightly from Charlie having not beat me tonight.

I rewrapped the bandage around my stomach and left my arms bare to let them get some air. I put on my pajamas and treaded silently back into my room and crawled into bed.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 7**

When I awoke in the morning Charlie was still snoring soundly. I got up and got dressed for the day. I wore my softest and most airy long sleeved shirt. It was also the most comfortable. It was a white long sleeved shirt and even though it was plain it fit my body nicely. The ends of the sleeves came to rest atop the edge of the back of my hand, keeping my wrists warm. It was stretchy a bit, and made my waist look great. It was a nice color on me too, since the white/brown mix was so nice.

I slipped the shirt over my head and sighed as the soft fabric shaped itself to my skin, making me feel light. Perfect day for it too; it was sunny outside today for once and it was supposed to be warmer, so I wouldn't need my jacket. I smiled brightly for the first time in years. It was sunny, I looked good right now, I had a high self esteem, Charlie hadn't beaten me last night, and I had new friends waiting for me at school.

With all that in my head it was very difficult not to shout and laugh and dance around, but I kept it contained. I glanced at the clock and saw I got up earlier than usual; it was ten minutes before I had to leave. I smiled knowing I had time for more dancing and tricks and talking this morning on my way to school and before classes. I grabbed a green apple and munched it down quickly, and since I was feeling so good I put an extra green apple in my bag. I put my bag on my shoulders and slipped on my dirty tennis shoes. I walked down the stairs and out the door to my board.

I grabbed my board and decided to skate a fair distance away before I started having fun, just in case. You could never be too careful around Charlie.

I got on my board and began skating down the sidewalk in the direction of school. I began speed-boarding, anxious to have my fun and then see my friends. I boarded for about two minutes until I was a nice and very safe distance away and roared into a fit of laughter. I stopped boarding and just stood there for a moment, laughing my head off. Nobody was really around, so I didn't receive any weird stares.

I smiled brightly, thinking of how everything had turned out so wonderful for one day. If I had to go through Charlie's beatings this was the least I deserved; some fun. I got back onto my board and began boarding down the sidewalk, past a bunch of houses and doing tricks, laughing at the thrill of it all. I continued to laugh and smile and decided to try a new trick I'd been working on.

I sped faster on my board and approached one of the trees nearby on the right side of the sidewalk near the street. I saw the branch I was looking for and as I passed under it I grabbed it and hoisted myself up into the air. When I landed back onto the ground I did the second part of my trick. That jump had given me the extra speed I needed and I neared the bare railing of an old fence. I hit the tiny and nearly impossible ramp and railed on the fence, and at the end there was a long board and a storage shed, set up just right.

I jumped onto the board of long wood and went straight up it and onto the shed. Now was the hard part; jump straight down or go crazy and do some neat-o tricks I'd never tried before? I decided for the latter. As I jumped off the shed I outstretched my arms and grabbed a really thick tree branch there. I nearly missed it, but as I grabbed it I swung slightly and jumped, doing a double flip in the air before bending my knees and bracing for the impact that came moments later as I reconnected with the sidewalk. It was so exhilarating.

I smiled hugely, and looked to my side, and I continued to smile even then; it just wouldn't go away. And I didn't want it too; this was too much fun. Next to me was the silver Volvo with Edward driving. Alice had out a tiny compact recorder and appeared to have been recording the whole thing while the rest stared in shock. I just smiled slightly bigger and kicked it up a notch, going faster than usual.

I sped down the sidewalk with them still behind me and jumped the huge ramp over the fence and into the school. I landed on the sidewalk with a dull 'thud' and skated down the walkway and into the parking lot. I skated over to the Cullens' car where they were just now getting out and jumped off my board right before I reached them.

Emmett was the first to fully recover. "That was amazing Bells! The way you jumped and flipped and the tree. . . oh man Bells that was freaking awesome! "Emmett said excitedly, practically jumping up and down with the thrill of it. Alice's tinkling laugh filled the air as she watched her brother jump up and down like a little kid. Edward had a huge smile on his face and Jasper was smiling a bit too. Rosalie even came over to give me a high five before hugging me. I laughed as did the rest of them. Right about then the bell rang. What timing.

Rosalie and I walked side by side to class talking animatedly about my boarding tricks and what new ones she thought I should try. It seemed like a good idea to me. We sat in our seats in the back and I grinned at her and worked on this week's class work until the teacher walked it, and I paid strict attention, taking detailed notes and making sure I didn't miss her points in the lecture.

By the time the bell rang I was widely awake and ready for whatever this school had laid out for me. I waved goodbye to Rosalie and exited class to head to art. When I got there I took my seat in the back and began sketching. I was in such a good mood I didn't sketch something radiating hurt or depression; it only radiated curiosity and thoughtfulness. My drawing always spoke to me somehow. It helped me a lot with my pictures and what people would think upon seeing them.

As I sat I sketched a girl with long hair down past her shoulders, and she was sitting thoughtfully under a tree watching a boy a little older than her a little ways away. He was talking with some friends, in the process of laughing. She looked thoughtful and curious. Probably as to what was so funny and as to what she thought about it. I focused more on the details after I got the rough idea out.

The girl had an apple in her hand and the boy had untidy hair, thought the color was unknown. He was happy and surrounding him were very familiar people. After I finished it I realized what I had drawn. I didn't really pay attention while I was sketching; I just sketched out some thoughts, but I didn't really focus on what it was. Now that I saw it for myself it dawned on me.

It was the first day I saw the Cullens and Hales. I sat under my tree with my apple watching as they laughed and talked, figuring out what they were like. I drew it from the perfect third person angle, and I must say I did good. I sketched my features even though I didn't know what I really looked like. I was suddenly hyperaware of someone behind me, sitting in a chair, their breathing light but full enough for me to hear. I looked behind me, and inches away, looking over my shoulder, was Edward. He had a thoughtful expression on his face as he looked at my sketch.

I was starting to get nervous. What was he thinking about? What made him keep staring at my picture? Did something look wrong? Did me drawing him and his family upset him? Shoot Bella! That was smart, you've probably offended him. He probably thinks I did some stuff wrong and is criticizing me in his head. I shouldn't care, but I wanted to know what his deal was.

He kept staring for a full minute, before he blinked rapidly, as if coming out of a trance. He looked over at me with the most puzzling expression. I couldn't figure out what it meant, but it was something. At least he didn't look upset or sad or mad. He just looked weird. I couldn't understand that expression; I'd never really seen it before.

"You drew this? " He asked me, astonished. I nodded to him and he stared in shock from me to the picture. "How? " He asked me, clearly baffled.

"Well, I just started sketching some shapes and thought of you guys, so I sketched the first day I saw you all together. It wasn't hard. I just don't understand how I sketched _myself _like that. That's my only problem. "I told him easily. It really wasn't that hard. I've just never sketched myself before.

Edward looked at me in amazement, but I ignored it for the most part. I loved sketching; it was my favorite pastime. I had just never really sketched myself, well _good. _I tried that once, I ended up looking like a stick-figure, even with my art skills. So to say this was a shocker was the understatement of the century.

Edward just shook his head in amazement while I picked up my sketchbook and made my way over to the teacher to show her my work. She gave me my points and said I could continue drawing now, but I stopped her. "Is it okay if I just hang out for the rest of the hour? I'm feeling a little stressed and I don't want it to affect my sketches. "

Miss Streek looked surprised for a moment before she composed herself and told me "That's fine, Bella dear. You've done a wonderful job all year and have top marks in my class. Go and relax. " She smiled at me and I thanked her quietly as I made my way back to my seat by Edward in the corner of the room. He was watching me, and he probably heard what I had said to Miss Streek, but I didn't care. I felt funny, and I just wanted to sit down, I sat in my seat and leaned my head back against the wall, taking deep breaths.

I sat there for a few minutes; clearing my head and trying to make the weird feeling in me go away. I felt a very warm hand on my forehead, but it felt nice. I was used to the cold, from living in Forks. But this hand was nice and warm, even for this small little town.

I opened my eyes to see none other than Edward, still sitting next to me, with his hand on my forehead and I felt the most amazing and strange tingling sensation. I stared into his eyes, seeing what his feelings were. Some people would say you can tell how a person is feeling by looking into their eyes; I believed in that. He looked worried, concerned, and. . . caring? That's a new one. Caring. He cared about me. Me, of all people. Wow.

After a moment though he sighed and removed his hand, causing the tingling sensation to go away, and looking frustrated. He looked down at his shoes in deep thought. I tried to focus on relaxing but for some reason I just couldn't. I sighed heavily and turned to Edward, still looking down at his shoes with that stupid frustrated look on his face.

"Okay, what's wrong? Because you doing that is really bugging me you know. " I told him, getting frustrated myself. He acted like he hadn't heard me, which only frustrated me more. What was his deal? Was something bugging him, or did he just have a headache or a random theory that proved wrong? I had no answer, and the more I thought about it the more unanswered questions I created. I sighed and tried to relax again, and was successful this time. I relaxed completely into my own little world full of my friends and no worries. . . then the bell rang. I took a deep breathe and got up to head to my next class. Edward was right behind me.

I tried to ignore the fact that Edward was following me when I knew his class was the other direction. When I was almost to class I turned around sighing in exasperation. Edward was still right there behind me. Of coarse.

"Any particular reason you're following me Edward? I know for a fact that your next class is that way and at this rate you're not gonna make it there before the final bell. "I told him, pointing down the hallway right behind him. I was getting a little tired of the charade. Edward didn't look even mildly surprised that I knew where his next class was, since I saw him leave the art room in the opposite direction from me every day. Instead, he smiled that crooked smile of his and shrugged.

I could easily piece that one together. He was following me til' I got to class then ditching his fourth hour; great. I rolled my eyes at him and continued walking to class, ignoring him for the most part. When I got to my classroom door I turned around and waved at him, then went inside. I sat down next to Rosalie and she was working on something, an assignment for her math class it looked like.

"Do you want any help with that? " I asked her. She looked like she was struggling with it, and I could see a couple of her answers were wrong. She bit her lip and nodded nervously at me, unsure if I would be of any help. I easily instructed her in a minute's time on how to work out her problems quicker and more efficient and she finished them all a moment after the final bell rang. When she was done the teacher was calling the class to order and she grinned in my direction, I grinned right back and paid attention to our lesson and waited for the bell to ring so I could go to Dutch.

When the bell did ring Rosalie and I got up from our seats with everyone else and headed out the door. When I walked out I saw Edward leaning on the wall across from the door to our class grinning. He full-out smiled when he saw me. I smiled right back; he was in a better mood. When Rosalie saw him she rolled her eyes and winked at me. I'd talk to her about that later.

Edward took my bag from me and put it on his shoulder, and I didn't object. I didn't mind not having to carry that on my shoulders anymore, wearing me down. He lifted it as easily as he would lift an empty bag. He and I walked to Dutch class, talking about this and that. When we reached class I was somewhat sad to see him go. It felt like I was missing something; of coarse, not having any friends in my language classes does that to me I suppose. I shrugged it off, not taking it any deeper into thought.

I studied hard in Dutch class, and when the bell rang I packed up my notes and work and headed out into the halls. As suspected, Edward was waiting for me outside of class, and I eyed him with suspicion. He seemed to notice this.

"Don't worry, I didn't skip my last class" he assured me and he smiled. I smiled back, and he took my bag from me again and we headed towards the cafeteria. I wasn't very hungry today so I just grabbed a green apple, knowing I'd have enough to eat with that one and the green apple already in my bag. Edward eyed the apple with a worried expression, but I ignored it and waited for him to go through the line and get his food.

When he had his meal, we headed outside to the spot where we sat yesterday with the rest of his family. This was three days in a row it hadn't rained here in Forks, Washington, and I was glad. The rain was such a downer. The forecast said the rain would be back tomorrow though, and then the sunny days would come much less often. It didn't bother me, I was used to it, plus there wasn't anything I could do about it, so I just decided to enjoy the sun while I could. I started munching on the apple in my hand and Edward began eating his lunch.

A minute or two later the other four showed up together. They all sat down so we were in a circle again and we all ate for a moment in content silence, then I remembered I needed to talk to Rosalie, who was luckily sitting on my other side, probably much to Alice's dissatisfaction. I turned in her direction and she glanced over at me.

Right then Emmett started talking to Jasper about last night's football game between the Florida Gators and the Cincinnati Bangles. Alice started talking to Edward about something they were planning for the weekend, a trip to the movies or something. I silently thanked God that this would ensure nobody truly heard what I'd be saying except for Rosalie.

"What was that wink that you gave me after History class for? " I asked her very quietly. She seemed puzzled for a split second before the light bulb in her head clicked on. She motioned me closer with her finger and whispered in my ear "I'll tell you sometime later, you'll get it without my help soon enough. " She pulled back and smiled at me, trying to tell me it would be okay.

It only confused me more but I pushed the confusion down and turned to Alice, who was eating a piece of celery. I whistled quickly at her to get her attention and her head snapped up immediately. I would laugh at that later, right now I needed to talk to her, so I started conversing with her in Spanish.

"Alice, tengo que pedirle su consejo experto sin los demás entendimiento, de ahí los Españoles. Ya que usted puede contar por lo general sobre cosas en el futuro o que gente quiere decir, luego me dice este: Lo que hace usted piensa que Rosalie quiso decir cuando anduvimos de la clase de Historia y Edward se reía de mí porque él me esperaba. Antes de que ella se marchara ella vio a Edward que allí se ríe de mí y ella guiñó en mí, pero ella dice que ella no me dirá aún lo que ella quiso decir. Soy kinda curioso y preocupado, aunque yo probablemente no debiera ser. Cualquier idea? "(Alice, I need to ask you for your expert advice without the others understanding, hence the Spanish. Since you can usually tell about things in the future or what people mean, then tell me this: What do you think Rosalie meant when we walked out of History class and Edward was smiling at me because he was waiting for me. Before she left she saw Edward there smiling at me and she winked at me, but she says she won't yet tell me what she meant. I'm kinda curious and worried, though I probably shouldn't be. Any ideas? ).

Alice looked puzzled for a moment, like she was trying to work out what I meant, though I knew she was trying to figure out what Rosalie had meant. She paused briefly and her eyes flicked over to Rosalie for a few seconds, who met her gaze. I looked away for a moment and looked at Edward, and when he saw me looking he smiled genuinely at me, and I, of coarse, couldn't help smiling back.

We stared at each other for a moment with light grins on our faces, then my attention snapped back to Alice. She looked kinda giddy for some reason, and I'm guessing that's because she figured it out. I turned my attention to her eagerly and she seemed to be choosing her words. Then she spoke fluently and in a chipper tone, though it only confused me more, since she was always so cryptic in her responses concerning things like this.

"Ella trataba de darle un poco de empuje en algo que ella había pensado antes y está siendo realizada actualmente. También espero que sus sospechas más tarde se hagan confirmadas, y usted va a también. Usted puede tratar de entenderlo ahora y posiblemente conseguir la idea incorrecta, o usted puede esperar y usted entenderá cuando el tiempo es correcto. Se hará claro a usted bastante pronto aunque; en este precio esto no tomará muy mucho tiempo en absoluto. "(She was trying to give you a little push into something she had thought of earlier and is currently being fulfilled. I too hope that her suspicions later become confirmed, and you will too. You can try to figure it out now and possibly get the idea wrong, or you can wait and you'll understand when the time is right. It'll become clear to you soon enough; though at this rate it won't take very long at all) she told me, smiling brightly while flashing her white teeth.

I stared at her puzzled, then sighed in exasperation.

"Intentaré y lo entenderé un poco de día en día, pero un día your're yendo la paga para su Duendecillo de predicciones secreto. "(I'll try and figure it out a bit day by day, but one day your're gonna pay for your cryptic predictions Pixie) I warned her. She just laughed a soft, tinkling laugh and snuggled up to Jasper who held her close and started whispering to her. I shook my head and looked away so as to not invade on their private moment.

I ended up, again, looking in Edward's direction. I scooted a little closer to him, feeling better for some reason though I hadn't felt weird at all. I shrugged it off and started talking to Edward about his piano, how it works and the songs he's played and created.

We talked for a little while longer until the bell rang. Edward picked up my bookbag again and walked me to my next class, Science. When we reached the room he handed me my bag and as he did his hand brushed up against mine and I again felt the most wonderful tingling sensation. I'd never felt anything like it before.

I waved goodbye to Edward and went to my seat in the back of the class to sit and wait. I already had all of the week's work done, all I had to do was take notes during the hour, and today we were watching some stupid movie, so I was free to stare out the window and think back on the tingling sensation my skin had when Edward touched me.

I was staring off into space as the movie progressed when I heard the whispering of a few students a few desks away from me. I easily listened in on their conversation, and I started to wish I hadn't after a moment, but it was too late now; I was hooked.

"Did you see that Swannie girl sitting with the new kids at lunch today? " Mike Newton said, Mrs. Newton's son and one of the biggest players in the school, but also one of my biggest bullies. Sitting next to him were Erik, Tyler, and Ben. They were all whispering just like everyone else in the class and not paying the slightest attention to the movie; the teacher never cared.

"Yeah I did, it was creepy. What are cool people like them doing hanging out with a rat like Swannie? " Tyler said, sounding irritated. Probably because the Cullens never hung out with him, or probably even talked to him for that matter.

"I dunno, maybe they're just gonna hang out with her for a few days 'til they see she's nothing but a loser and ditch her for cool people like us" Mike responded. I could feel my temper flaring, though it was easy to keep under control. I made a mental note to avoid those four boys in gym class next hour.

"Hey, what if she tricked them or threatened them into hanging out with her and she's like, stalking them or something? " Eric suggested.

"Nah, I'll bet they're doing it just so they can throw her in the mud later and really mess with her. That'd be the best thing ever! " Ben told them enthusiastically. They all agreed and started talking about how they imagined it would go when Ben looked over his shoulder and froze when he saw me easily listening into their conversation. He nudged the others and they all turned to stare at me too. I raised an eyebrow at them and they turned away again, still whispering and probably believing I couldn't hear them. I didn't want to hear them anyways, so I ignored them and stared out the window again.

As I was staring out the window I saw something in the trees not too far out move and I concentrated on it. I then saw the most peaceful sight. Between the clearing of a few trees I could see a doe standing there eating grass in peace, when a little white bunny came hopping up to it and ate alongside it. I had the sudden desire to go out and see them without looking through glass, to go next to them.

Animals had a strange attraction to me, I would often come across deer in the woods when I was walking and they would walk right up to me and let me stroke them. When I was little I ran away from Charlie and into the woods and came across some deer. I had fallen to the ground in exhaustion and the deer all came to lay right next to me and lick my face and arms. They were so sweet, and from then on I had been able to go near deer without any problems.

Rabbits were even easier, they always came hopping into Charlie's backyard and he'd just ignore them. When I was just a toddler I went into the backyard and played with the bunnies who didn't seem to mind me at all; in fact most of them followed me around. I smiled at the memory and left my thoughts to look at the clock. We had a good forty-five minutes of class left, so I decided that would be plenty of time and grabbed my bag and went up to the front to the teacher's desk. He looked up at me in ack-knowledgment and waited for me to speak.

"Is it okay if I go to the library for the rest of the hour to do some research? I don't have a computer at home and I've already studied all the stuff on this video. "I told him. He considered it for a moment before looking at his watch and saying "Alright, I'll write you a pass and you can stay there for the hour and just head straight to last period from there. "he said, writing me a pass.

I thanked him and left the class, putting the pass in my pocket. I knew I would be able to hear the school bell for next hour a good 600 yards away, as far away as the end of the football field is on the other side of the school; obviously located 300 yards away from the back school doors. Easy.

I walked out the front doors to the school and made my way to the right side of the main building where my Science class was located. Nobody would be able to see me from the angle I was entering unless they were in my seat, which at an easy glance nobody was. I quickly and quietly sprinted to the cover of the trees only making a whisper of a sound.

I was naturally stealthy and fast, perfect for living with Charlie. When I was behind a large tree I glanced back at the school; seeing nobody through the windows meaning nobody had seen me. I relaxed instantly and walked a few feet further into the trees to the small clearing I had seen the rabbit and deer in. They were both still there eating away.

I walked further in and the deer's head shot up at the quiet sound of my approach, as did the rabbit's. After a fraction of a second they both came waltzing over to me, looking perfectly at ease. I stroked the doe's neck and scratched the rabbit's fur and took a few steps to the right before sitting down, just to make sure nobody had a chance of seeing me from the school.

It was perfectly peaceful for a few minutes before I heard the unmistakable sound of someone's footsteps quietly approaching. The doe and rabbit must have heard too because both their ears shot up at once. I quickly stood and walked into a dense covering of trees with the rabbit and doe right behind me. We hid together behind a large mass of trees and bushes where we would be impossible to see.

The footsteps were slightly louder now and I could sense the person entering the clearing, but I felt a warmer presence. All my fear drained out for some reason and I peaked at the person from behind the trees and bushes.

They were looking the other way, which was good. I inched out slightly without making a sound and saw an untidy mess of bronze hair. Edward. I relaxed completely and patted the deer and picked up the bunny, who was no longer trembling after it felt my calm touch. I knew the bunny and deer trusted me completely, so the deer followed me gracefully when I walked out from behind our hiding spot into plain view of Edward.

Edward looked surprised to see me and even more surprised as he stared in awe of the bunny I was holding and the deer that was following me. His eyes flickered between the deer and I, as if trying to connect the two of us. He seemed unsuccessful and plopped down on the grass sighing.

I walked over to him and sat down in front of him with the bunny in my lap, sitting peacefully. The deer followed immediately and sank down to lay next to me. Edward, looking unsure, held his hand out to the deer, and I grabbed it and put it on top of the doe's back, moving it back slightly then putting it back where it started, repeating the motion so he was stroking the deer. That same pleasant tingle entered my hand and I felt at peace.

I let go of Edward's hand as he continued to stroke the doe, who seemed at ease with the new stranger. I stroked the bunny I was holding behind the ears when a wispy, peaceful voice spoke into my heart, _Lecio. _I thought it over for a moment before whispering the words to the bunny, almost as if asking a person a question.

"Lecio? " I asked the bunny quietly. It ears sprung up and it turned it head in my direction, as if a person would in ackoknowledging their name being said. I stared into its eyes and felt like I had just made a huge connection with the rabbit. I felt almost as though I could sense something about it, like how. . . curious? it seemed. Comprehension clicked in my brain.

"Your name is Lecio? " I asked the rabbit.

In my head, I heard the beautiful voice of a man, thought the voice was not deep or rough, it was soft and gentle, just like a rabbit. _Yes. _I smiled at the rabbit and tried to think in it's direction. _I can speak to you, I can understand you, and you can understand me? Wow. _I hoped I had spoken to the rabbit; it'd be much easier than speaking aloud. I could sense intelligence in Lecio, meaning he was a very wise rabbit. This confused yet enlightened me more. Lecio answered me, which made me pleased, and he explained my confusion which he had felt.

_Yes, I can understand you. You were born with a special power that connects you to other animals of any shape, size, and type. Its a very peculiar, powerful, and precious gift. You can connect like this with any animal, and as you get older your powers will increase, especially if you practice them more often. You can talk to any animal you know by name in your head from any distance away, but later you may be able to do greater things. You can only speak to an animal if you know their real name, which you can either find out or they can tell you. I was surprised when you knew my name. Please use your gift well, and try to connect yourself with as many other animals as you can, for they will become your friends and they will help you if you need it. Also, whether you are connected to them or not, an animal of certain distance and knowledge of you can call on you for help if they need it, so try and answer as many calls as you can. This may be a lot to take in, but this gift was granted to you for many reasons and deeds of goodness you have done. You are no longer alone in the world, and you shall always have friends now. _Lecio winked at me and stayed quite then, allowing me to process it all. To say I was thrilled would be an understatement. I only had one more question for Lecio, then I would allow his thoughts to be his own for now.

_Lecio, is this ability the reason why I'm so smart? Why I can master so many languages so quickly and am such an advanced student? _I asked him telepathically. He nodded his head at me and I smiled at him. I then remember that we weren't alone here, and I glanced over at Edward who was staring at me in a confused way. I shrugged my shoulders at him.

"Hey, what're you doing out her? " I asked him. I probably should've asked him earlier, but I was too occupied. He shrugged his shoulders.

"I dunno, when I was in class something in my gut was telling me to go outside, like a voice in my head almost. So I went outside and my feet carried me here. " He said, shrugging again. I smiled at him and then confusedly glanced down at Lecio who winked at me and told me telepathically _I gave him a little push out here since you two were so close. No, he doesn't have the power you do, you're the only person in the world with it. _

I nodded at him and turned my attention back to Edward, who was looking between Lecio and me with a puzzled expression. I was guessing Lecio would understand what I meant as I looked down to him, _can I tell him? _Lecio nodded his head slightly at me and Edward didn't miss it.

I sighed and told Edward about what Lecio had said to me and about how I'd always been connected with animals. I then told him about my talk with Lecio and of my power so far. He was shocked, and yet looked understanding and impressed. I was a bout to telepathically ask Lecio if I could tell other people besides Edward, but before I got the question in my brain formed Lecio told me _You can tell anybody who is very close to you and won't give your secret away. If it is given away you should be fine, since nobody would truly believe it. Just choose wisely and if it comes down to your secret being into the open and proven true, you're always welcome into the woods. If it comes to that your mind, heart, and body will understand what to do and how to do it, and you'll be safe. However, you'll always have the choice to change back. Now talk to your soul mate, he needs to understand this. _I was about to say okay when I stopped. Soul mate? Wait a minute here!

Edward was my soul mate? Seriously? That could explain the tingling sensation I get when he touches me, and the warmth I feel in his presence. But how could I know for sure? I looked down in surprise, alarm, and curiosity at Lecio who caught my glance and told me _Yes, he's your soul mate. I should have let you figure it out on your own, but you two will need each other. You have to tell him right now that he's your soul mate, and he'll know the truth in the words as soon as you say them. If you want, you could touch his hand after you say it and the knowledge will flow through it to him, one of your later powers that you have a bit of, only you always put them in your drawings. You can transfer it into people and tell them things silently like that, so tell him aloud, then touch his skin with the knowledge. You'll be fine. _Lecio winked at me again and turned to stare at Edward who waited patiently for my attention to turn back to him since he knew Lecio and I were speaking and I took a deep breathe.

"Lecio was just cautioning me and telling me all that I needed to know right now, and told me I had to tell you something, though I'm not sure how you'll take it. " I told him nervously. I looked down at Lecio for encouragement and he gave me a very defined nod. I took another deep breathe and an idea sprung into my head, probably from Lecio. "Edward, do you like me? As in more than a friend? " I asked him softly. He looked like he was warring with himself, deciding what he wanted to say. He sat like that for a moment before his features took on a more confident expression and he locked eyes with me.

"Yes, ever since the first moment I saw you I felt a connection and an attraction to you, though everyone else in the school told us to avoid you, I felt drawn to you. I love you, even if its only been such a short time we've known each other, I feel like I've known you much longer. I think I felt the biggest connection to you and your life when I looked at your sketches. "he told me honestly and without fault.

I smiled at him and realized what Lecio had meant about my drawings, why Edward had understood them so easily. Looking at those drawings was basically him looking into my life, my past, and my soul. He and I had connected after that, I remember now. This made me feel much more confident and I prepared myself to tell him.

"Edward, Lecio is the most intelligent person, err animal, that I might've ever met, and he knows things, and he told me something that you must know and accept, so please don't reject it. "I pleaded with him. He seemed to sense my urgency and distress and instead of staying put and waiting for my answer he came to sit by me and give me hug to calm me down, rocking me slightly from side to side; Lecio sitting in my lap the whole time. I looked into his eyes and said "Edward, your my soul mate. "


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 8**

I stayed there in his eyes and waited for his reaction. His eyes warred with its emotions for a moment, then I took my hand and placed it on his, and his eyes were set on a sight that made my heart soar. Understanding, Acceptance, and _Love. _He believed me, and he's accepted it. He'll always be there for me. Edward stared deep into my eyes; there were no need for us to say anything, no words were needed. The silence was peaceful. Edward stared deep into my eyes, pouring his love into me as I poured mine into him, staring into his gorgeous green eyes; into his soul. We were unconsciously leaning towards each other, and when he face was only inches away our eyes began to slide closed.

Edward kissed me slowly and passionately, letting me feel more of his love and signifying our unity. I slowly wrapped my arms around his neck as we continued to kiss, and his arms wove themselves around my waist. Edward deepened the kiss and I gladly agreed, allowing him entrance as his soft tongue massaged my own and his scent and taste swept through me. We slowed the kiss until Edward pulled away slightly to lightly kiss all over my face, ending with my nose. It made me smile, and I hugged him to me tightly, feeling whole for the first time in my life.

I pulled back to look at Edward, into his beautiful green eyes. I vaguely noticed that Lecio was no longer in my lap, but sitting over next to the doe. Edward was staring at me with such intensity that my heart could barely keep it all inside, it was so warm and welcoming. All the bad things in the world seemed to disappear. Everything was perfect. I thought to how his siblings would react to this and though back to what Alice and Rosalie had said.

They had noticed how close we were becoming, and thought we would end up together; they were right. And Alice was right too, I would understand sooner than I thought I would, and I did. Half an hour is a lot sooner than I would have expected. I felt like I was glowing, and I could see that Edward was glowing too. I broke our connection to look over at Lecio and the doe who was watching us patiently.

I felt confused for a moment, before hearing the whispering voice in my heart again, only this time saying _Delvy. _Delvy, that must be the doe's name, and as I looked into it's eyes I knew it to be true. I grinned slightly and said telepathically towards the doe _Hello Delvy, thank you for connecting with me. My heart is getting larger and I'm feeling more loved by all of you every second, so thank you. _I smiled at Delvy and she got up quickly but gracefully from the forest floor and walked over to me steadily and determined. She stopped in front of me and bowed to me, bending her neck low and stepping forward with one foot so she was elegantly bowed.

I smiled and walked over to her, helping her back up to her normal stance and stroking her neck and back, telling her _It's alright, we are all equals, and all friends. We bow to no one. _I told her quietly and soothingly, and it pleased her. She licked my cheek, and told me _I must go, and so must Lecio, the bell for you is about to ring, and someone might see us. I look forward to speaking to you soon, Bella. _She said to me. Her voice was soft and gentle, but very mature and wise. She still sounded delicate though.

I nodded to her and waved a farewell to Lecio, who after winking at me, followed Delvy into the brush and out of sight.

I turned around to Edward and found him standing behind me, and he was smiling. I smiled back at him and grabbed his hand, while also stealthily crouching behind a tree on the edge of the woods. I looked from behind it very quickly, as fast as a rabbit at all the windows and corners and everything and saw nobody there.

I was still on my guard and quickly pulled Edward along to the wall of the school building and pulled him around the corner so that we were out front. I sighed in relief and sat down on the stone steps out front where Edward joined me. I touched his hand for I wasn't in the mood to speak. _The bell is about to ring. _He seemed slightly shocked for a moment, for I didn't just give him the feeling of truth or an idea, I told him with my mind's voice, and I could see his shock. He hesitantly held my hand and I could hear his mind's voice in my head. _Alright, I want to talk to you some more though. _

His mind's voice was beautiful, so melodic. I kept holding his hand and told him _I know, I want to talk to you too. After school, if its alright with you, we can go back to your house and I will explain this to everyone, in your family anyways. They're the only people I can trust with my secret; no one else can know. _He seemed to understand this, and he nodded his head at me, but didn't let go of my hand.

I was glad for the touch, it was very comforting. A thought popped into my head and I wanted to try it out, so I pulled my hand away from him and thought for a moment, before directing my thoughts to Edward like I did to Lecio and Delvy. _I love you Edward. _He gasped and looked at me, and I could hear him ask in his mind _How did you do that? I thought you had to be able to touch me? _

I told him _I thought so too, but my powers have already grown a bit, so I can talk to you from a distance since I've already heard your mind's voice. I think I could use this to my advantage, talking to you during class through our minds. I'll try to connect with the rest of your family this afternoon, but I won't connect with any other humans, not that I know of anyways. _I smiled at him and he kissed me quickly.

As soon as he pulled away the bell signaling us to our last hour class rang. Edward stood up and offered me his hand, which I accepted and he lifted me to my feet. As we began walking inside we saw the hallways already crowded with people. Edward didn't let go of my hand once, he held onto it until we got to the gym doors, where he let my hand go and pulled me into a tight embrace. I hugged him back just as tightly and pulled back to quickly kiss him.

H released me and I heard his voice in my mind _I still want to talk to you though, so don't expect to get rid of me so easily_ he said, teasing me a bit. I laughed and I felt like he could hear that laugh, for it rang through my mind, and I heard his beautiful laugh back, though I'm sure on the outside it looked like he was walking along in silence. I told him_ Alright, I am definitely okay with that. _I could hear him laugh softly and then his mind's voice faded as he went silent. He'd probably start talking to me again at the end of the hour, or I would.

I entered the locker room chipper and bright, feeling a huge confidence boost. I walked over to where Alice was changing and quickly changed next to her. She took one look at me and squealed, giving me a huge hug, while still managing to bounce up and down. I laughed at her but she brushed it off and demanded she know every detail. I shook my head at her and she pouted, but I told her "I'm going to tell everyone everything when we get to your house, okay? Also, is Esme and Carlisle home today? They'll need to hear most of this too. " I told her.

She nodded and smiled at me. We walked out into the gym towards Coach Coal and she told us that we were going to spend this year taking a break from our normal activites and sharing everything with the boys, which meant free days three days a week. She said we would be in groups of the same three people of our choosing for all our class activities and asked us to choose them now. Alice, Emmett, and I grouped together immediately and got our names down on the list first.

We all high-fived and made the decision to jog around the gym and talk. Before I could tell Emmett anything however Alice piped up that Edward and I were together. Emmett wooped and picked me up in a hug and swung me around. I laughed and he set me down, giving me a huge high five. We all laughed and started to jog and talk about lots of things, when I heard the unmistakable tenor of Edward's beautiful voice in my head.

_How's gym class going? Emmett nearly crunch any more girls? _I could hear him laughing and I laughed in my mind too. It was a very peaceful sensation. I was still listening with another part of my brain to what Emmett and Alice were saying and was keeping up with their conversation and adding in comments every now and again while still talking to Edward. At the same time I was still jogging easily and not running into anybody or anything. Add on top of that I was completely aware of what everyone else in the gym was doing. It was very complex but very easy for some reason. To me it was like breathing, blinking, walking, and talking at the same time. Easy, effortless, and an everyday thing. I could get used to this.

_Gym isn't all that bad. Emmett, Alice, and I are jogging around it and talking. These powers have made me a great multitasker, keeping up two conversations at the same time. _I laughed in my mind and I could hear Edward's laugh as well. I was suddenly aware of four people coming up behind us. I stretched out my mind and I could tell who it was without looking at them; it was Tyler, Eric, Mike, and Ben. They were about to cause trouble for themselves.

_Uhoh, I might need concentration for this, hold on Edward. I've got four idiots coming up on my tail. _In my mind I conveyed to him a feeling a patience and he granted my wish, staying quiet.

"Look out, four idiots are coming up on our tails. Emmett, think of them like Lauren Mallory and her cronies, they're not exactly my biggest supporters. " I told him while rolling my eyes. Alice laughed at it and I joined her. Emmett laughed loudly and we continued jogging. I looked over at Emmett and then Alice, holding up three fingers as in to say _three seconds. _They would know it meant three seconds til we stopped. We counted down on our fingers together and when we reached zero we all casually slowed down next to the bleachers and sat on them with me in between Alice and Emmett. As I suspected the four boys stopped as well.

"Hey Emmett, what are you doing sitting there. You could catch the Swannie disease, you too girl. " Mike said to them, indicating Alice with his head. She glared at him with fire in her and Emmett looked like he was restraining himself from punching them.

"Why don't you leave Bella alone? You won't get hurt as often if you do. " Emmett told them, popping his knuckles menacingly. They didn't see worried by it, but then again they were stupid. Emmett flexed his biceps, showing off his real muscles, and I could see Ben start to worry, his eyes were getting wider. Emmett turned to glare at Ben in particular and Ben scurried off to the court, claiming he wanted to go play basketball all of a sudden. I thought of how I could make Edward feel my emotions, and I wondered if I could scare them by pushing old emotions out to them, but without connecting to them. I figured it was worth a shot, so I pushed a mass of worry, anxiety, and fear out to them with minimal effort and they started to look panicky, but none of their thoughts entered my mind, thankfully.

Emmett took one step towards them and they scampered off to the basketball court after Ben. I laughed long and hard, and Alice's tinkling laugh mixed with my own, soon followed by Emmett's booming laugh. I opened my telepathical link to Edward, still laughing, and showed him what had just happened in my memory. He laughed telepathically too and I told him the bell was about to ring and that I'd meet him at his Volvo.

He agreed and the link faded as I wanted it to. I told Alice and Emmett we should get changed and head off to the car. We changed quickly and met up outside the locker rooms. As soon as we all walked out, the bell rang and everyone in the gym was scurrying into the locker rooms to change. As we were walking through the halls I stopped at my locker for my skateboard since I would need it tomorrow morning.

We started walking towards the Volvo when I remembered there wouldn't be enough seats, so I thought over a plan. I considered the plan and thought it plausible. We walked outside to the Volvo to see Jasper, Edward, and Rosalie standing there waiting for us. When I saw Edward my face broke into a smile and he ran over to me and picked me up in a hug, swinging me around in a circle. We both laughed, and Alice and Rosalie were jumping up and down squealing. Edward put me down and gave me a kiss, which earned us a loud whistle from Emmett and Jasper. We broke the kiss laughing. I felt so lighthearted and free spirited; it felt perfect.

I remembered my plan for getting to the Cullen's house and stretched my mind way out, deep into the surrounding forests and found what I was looking for; a bear. I tried concentrating on the bear, and got its attention. I looked inside my heart for where the whispering voice of knowledge in me was, and found it within a most protective layer, so no one from the outside could intrude. I used the whisper voice for the bear's name, learning it was _Lugrum. _I called out to Lugrum, and he answered my call.

I requested his presence and help with giving me a ride to the Cullen house and that if he couldn't do it if he knew any other that would. I could hear him thinking for a moment before he told me he had a friend that lived on a nearby farm; a horse. He told me he would request its help and if it would help he would tell it to meet me in the woods near the school parking lot.

I thanked Lugrum and told him to tell me what the horse decides. The six of us spent the extra time talking, since Edward understood why I was waiting. A moment later Lugrum told me the horse agreed and told him to tell me his name was _Shadra. _He would be here in a minute, and I needed to figure out how to convince the others on what I was doing. I decided to tell them the straight truth, or at least what was momentarily necessary.

"Alice, Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper, there are some things you must now learn about me I just learned today. I can't tell you it all right now, but I will tell you that I don't want to crowd up the car since there isn't truly enough room. I will be using my powers to get there, and I will show up in your front yard as fast as I can. I will give you an advanced warning for when I am near, Edward will know when that is. I have a telepathic connection with him and I will connect with you guys later. I shall meet you there, I promise. " I told them quickly and quietly.

They all nodded their head looking excited and confused at the same time. I told them to get going and that I'd meet them at the house. They got in their car and took off, taking my board with them since it would be easier. I waited until they were out of sight to start walking towards the forest.

I called out to Shadra and found he was almost to the clearing that I had requested to them. I walked directly into the woods without a second thought, and stood waiting for him. When Shadra appeared, I was in awe. He was the most beautiful, pure white stallion I had ever seen. He was tall, lean, and very muscular. He didn't have much fat, it was all muscle. I could now see why I bear would become friends with a horse; they both shared strength qualities.

Shadra and I introduced ourselves to each other and I told him where the Cullen household was, and he agreed to let me ride him there. He told me he was one of the fastest horses in the world, bred by the best and worked to the extreme to gain his muscle.

_I am honored to be in your presence then Shadra. I shall definitely keep you as a close friend, and not just because some people deserve a good kick in the face_ I told him, and the two of us laughed telepathically. I stroked him and he knelt down to allow me to climb onto his back. He waited til I was positioned well and until I was gripping him firmly with my legs and my hands had hold of his mane. He snorted and started into an easy trot, then quickly speeding into a canter on a trail he said he was familiar with. We came into a wide open field and meadow, which looked gorgeous in the afternoon sunshine.

_Hang on tight Bella, I'm going full speed. _Shadra told me and I tightened my grip just before he took off. The speed was exhilarating. Shadra was almost as fast as Edward when he's driving his Volvo. We sped across the field and into the trees where Shadra didn't slow down at all.

_We're five minutes away now, tell the others. _Shadra instructed me. I opened my mind up to Edward and told him we'd be there in five minutes and to be ready. He told me they were ready and I focused more on Shadra then, who was telling me to keep hanging on since he was gonna give a showfulish entrance. I obliged, telling him that would be amazing, and I complimented him on his speed and muscle. He thanked me before telling me we were nearly there and to hang on.

Shadra had to do a quick jump over a fallen tree and the thrill of it lightened my spirit considerably and made me smile in pure happiness. I could see lots of sunlight through the trees ahead and knew that was the Cullen home.

Shadra and I sped out of the trees by jumping over another fallen tree and he zoomed out, coming to a perfect dead stop in front of the porch where everyone was and rearing back and neighing. The sunlight was pouring on his mane, back, and my face. The whole thing was wonderful and exhilarating. Shadra put his hooves back on the ground and I saw everyone gasp in surprise and astonishment. Edward, Alice, and Emmett were all wearing huge smiles and soon the Hales joined them. They went down the porch steps and came to stand next to Shadra and I. I stroked Shadra's neck and thanked him greatly, saying that was spectacular.

_Thank you Bella, now you and I must part, for I hear food calling my name and you have a family calling yours. _Shadra told me. I nodded to him, sliding gracefully off of his back and onto the ground. I turned to Shadra and bowed to him saying "Thank you again, and farwell Shadra. " He bowed as well and told me _Farewell Bella, I'll be there for you if you need me. _He told me. He reared up again and charged out of the clearing into the thick cover of the woods. I stared after him, feeling at one with the world and my new friends and family of sorts. That's when I remembered that said family had just seen that whole show and were now staring at me openmouthed because they didn't know anything.

Edward came over to me and pulled me into a hug. He let go of me for the most part, except instead he put his arm around my waist. I gestured to the front door, indicating we should go inside. Nobody moved, so I shrugged and Edward and I went inside. The others seemed to recover slightly and went inside after us. We all sat in the living room and Alice called Esme and Carlisle downstairs. Emmett and Rosalie were sitting side by side on the loveseat, while Jasper, Alice, and Edward sat on the couch with Alice in the middle. Esme sat in one of the chairs and Carlisle in the other. Everyone was looking at me, waiting for me to speak.

I sighed and looked into everyone's face before I began. "So, there is a very important reason that I called this meeting with everybody, because you are the only humans I trust and you all have a right to know, plus it could be beneficial later on. First of all, as you five know" I said indicating Edward, Alice, Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie, "Edward and I are now together, and there is some good reasons for that.

"The main reason, is that we not only were becoming attracted to each other, but we are soul mates. "I told them. There were many audible gasps from around the room and Carlisle and Esme were hanging on my every word now, since it was already such a big deal. Carlisle seemed not only caring and concerned, but curious as well.

I continued "So, as soul mates we are meant to spend our life together. We did not find this out easily though, and its through this series of events that you should learn everything about me that Edward and even myself only just learned today after lunch. I'm going to tell you everything that has happened today and explain it all to you, and it might take a while. By the time that and the questions you'll most likely have are done I will be needing a ride home, so do remember this isn't purely a social visit. "I told them seriously. I got a series of nods from every head in the house and I took a deep breath.

"From Science class after lunch then. In Science we were watching a movie, so I sat in my desk at the back of the room and tried to ignore the boys one table away talking about me. I looked out the window and into the woods and saw the most beautiful sight. A doe was there, eating grass, and a white rabbit came to eat grass next to it. Perfect peace and harmony. I felt a need to go out and experience it with them, to hold the bunny and stroke the doe. I got Mister Harris to excuse me to do some research in the library, supposedly.

"I walked out to the side of the school and into the woods where no one could see me. I was fairly sure the bunny and doe would not flee at my presence, for I had already known I had a connection with animals when I was younger, how they would follow me around instead of running away. They were my only friends as a child. "Esme looked heartbroken at my loneliness as a child, everyone else was sapped into the story. "I was correct in my assumptions and was able to stroke the deer and scratch the bunny behind the ears. I sat there with them like that for a minute before I heard the sound of approaching footsteps. I hid behind a dense overgrowth of bushes and trees and felt the presence of someone entering the clearing.

"I peeked out from behind a tree to see Edward standing there looking around. I relaxed and picked up the white rabbit who was shaking. When it felt my calmness it stopped shaking and looked relaxed. The doe had relaxed too, because of me. I walked into the clearing to Edward holding the white rabbit and with the doe following right behind me. He looked a little shocked, no surprise, " which earned a small laugh from everybody, "but he sat down and I sat in front of him, the bunny sitting in my lap.

"The doe gracefully lied down next to me, leaning up against my side. Looking nervous, Edward reached out his hand towards the doe, and I helped him to stroke it. We talked for a little bit, before I noticed something strange.

"There was a soft, whispering voice coming from within my heart, and it told me _Lecio _and _Delvy_. I was confused before it clicked. Lecio was the rabbit's true name, Delvy was the doe's true name, and I then learned I could telepathically speak with animals, and that they spoke back easily. It was all telepathic. Lecio, who turned out to be very wise, told me of my powers and how they would increase over time.

"He told me also about everything around me, exactly how my current powers work, and how to connect and communicate like that with other animals. He told me certain animals of knowledge and distance can call on me if they need help, and that I should answer. He told me to tell my secrets like this to only those closest to me, those who wont give anything away. H also told me, that he knew Edward was my soul mate, and that we were already connected.

"He had said that I must tell him everything, and that I must place my trusts well and use my knowledge and powers wisely. I am already able to create and push emotions onto people, multitask with amazing precision, I am overly smart because my brain works many times faster, I can speak to all animals and any person in the world if I connect with them telepathically. I have already done this to Edward, and I can also sense an animal's name so that I may freely speak with them, for that is a necessity. Now, I tried explaining as best I could, any questions? "I finished. Everybody's hands raised into the air. I chose Jasper's first; I decided I'd just make my way around the room.

"If you can speak with animals, then is that how you were riding that horse and why it bowed for you? "Jasper asked me. Ah, he wanted to start with the most recent adventure. I thought through my words carefully since it was a little confusing to put together.

"Yes Jasper, I was speaking telepathically to the horse while we were in the school parking lot and he met up with me in the woods to give me a ride here. He wanted to show off a bit when he entered the clearing. When I dismounted I thanked him aloud while he told me telepathically that he had to leave and he said farewell. "I told Jasper. He seemed satisfied with that answer, as did the others. I pointed to Alice next, who was practically bouncing in her seat.

"So, with these powers, is that how you knew the bell would ring so early in gym class and how you knew the four guys were coming up behind us without looking back? And was that why those four boys suddenly seemed so terrified of Emmett, because you pushed emotions onto them? " She fired off one after another, all the while bouncing in her seat. I laughed at her and explained.

"Yeah, I could sense their presences coming up behind us and when they weren't getting scared off by Emmett I pushed some worry, anxiety, and fear onto them full force so they were scared out of their pants. I also knew the bell would ring just because of some extra sense in timing I had, I'm not quite sure how that works yet but I'll know soon. " I told her.

I then looked at Edward, into his eyes. _Speak your question aloud, we'll work on telepathy later_ I told him in my mind, internally snickering. He rolled his eyes and told me _fine_ before speaking aloud. "I'm still confused on one part, when you said you had an experience somewhat like this with animals before, when you were younger and how they were your only friends, exactly what happened during that? "He asked me.

"Well, when I was younger I had had many strange occurrences with animals but I enjoyed them, though I never spoke of them to anybody. It was my secret, and my favorite childhood memory. I have a photographic memory, created by my powers when I was born, so everything from my childhood is perfectly clear.

"I remember one day when I was about four years old, My father Charlie had a lot of bunnies come into his backyard all the time. He always ignored them, but I loves all the bunnies, so I would go into the backyard and run around with the bunnies, petting them and running around with them following me. It was always so much fun, until Charlie decided I couldn't play with bunnies anymore and locked me in the house.

"Also, there was a time when I was about seven I suppose, when I was so scared of Charlie and yet so courageous, that I ran away from home. I ran straight into the woods, and went as deep in as I could. At some point, I was so exhausted that I tripped and fell onto the forest floor, and passed out. I awoke in the same spot, but I was aware of something warm and soft surrounding me on all sides.

Raising my head, I saw I was surrounded on all sides by deer, trying to comfort and help me. I stayed with those deer for five days before Charlie found me, and I was sorry to leave. Ever since I was little I'd always been connected to animals like that. " I concluded. Edward seemed to be thinking something over, and it didn't look like a happy thought. I ignored that and moved on to Rosalie.

"So you said that's why you're so advanced at everything and so smart? That was why you could learn so many languages and draw so well? "she asked curiously.

"Yes, those are like my automatic powers. I've had them all my life. They cause me to be great at many things, like school, fitness, and of coarse skateboarding. Languages are always easy for me to learn. It would probably be easier for me to learn them if I took the largest Spanish dictionary known to the world and read the whole thing; I'd be learning like twenty languages a year. Drawing has always been a hobby of mine, a way for me to release all of my emotions as Edward has learned. I will explain that in a minute" I told them. Emmett was up next, looking a little angry, though I could tell it wasn't directed at me.

"My only question is, who were the people that were talking about you in Science class that you were trying to ignore? "He asked me. I could tell what he was thinking without asking, he was being a protective big brother. I welcomed that.

I sighed before staring straight into his eyes and answering him. "Who else would it be? Who was picking on my in gym today? Who was it that I caused to be scared and will probably mess with me again tomorrow? " I asked him. Comprehension and anger filtered into his eyes and he looked ready to rip something apart. I sent him a huge load of calm and curiosity, just in case he had any more question tucked up in his brain. Esme was next, and she was looking more concerned than anything.

"Bella dear, what would happen if somehow your secret did manage to get out and everyone believed it? " Esme asked me, like a true mother. I wanted so much to just go and hug her for caring so much.

"Well, Lecio told me that there was a chance of that happening, though not by anyone betraying the trust I set in them. He said if that happens the forest is always very welcome to me and that when the time comes my mind, heart, and body would know what to do, but I would always have the choice to go back and forth between the two. Roughly translated I believe he means I will gain the power to shape-shift into a creature of the forest and have the option after that to transform into something anytime I want to and back again. "I told them. The light in Carlisle's eyes of what would probably be unending questions grew only brighter.

I looked in Carlisle's direction, but before he could speak I told him "I would appreciate it if you wouldn't completely overload me with question after question nonstop on this one round. Give me a few questions, and then I'll move on and you can go again next round, please. "I asked him. He nodded his head and began.

"This information is somewhat overwhelming, but I don have some questions and requests. I'll start with the requests. Will you allow me to study on your powers and help you work with them, along with take notes and write down all information on this gift of yours and the world of change that comes with it? It would be for my own personal study and knowledge as well as to pass it on when it is finished to anyone else with the gift, if they have it. "He requested.

I thought it over for a moment before agreeing and asking for his next request.

"I would also beg for you to please give a small demonstration of your powers? Like call. . . a fox here. I just want to see how this works. Please? "Carlisle asked and begged at the same time. I could see the opportunity would really excite him, and I obliged, telling everyone to go out onto the front porch so I could see if there were any fox nearby.

We all filed outside and I told everyone to stay on the porch while I requested the presence of an animal to come and show off a bit, to help make my few trusties with my secret understand how it works so there are no accidents made. I searched around with my mind and found that the closest fox was too far out for me to want to bother it; that would be too rude. I searched the local area and found my friend Lugrum was only a couple miles away, an easy distance for him.

I smiled to myself and called out to Lugrum, requesting his presence for a demonstration and he understood completely, said he was honored to be chosen to help. I thanked him and he said he'd be there soon.

"Carlisle, the closest fox is miles out and that's a little far for comfort for me to draw him from and I believe its rude, so I called my friend Lugrum to come for the demonstration, and he will stay for a little while. He might even go fishing in the river back there. He's a grizzly bear, just a heads up. He won't hurt anybody, he's coming on my request, is that alright? "I asked him. Carlisle nodded, looking even more pleased with me summoning a dangerous animal of sorts and informing him on what would and/or could happen. Carlisle seemed overjoyed, like he was probably doing a happy dance on the inside.

_I'm nearly there Bella, I'm a good thirty seconds away _Lugrum told me, and I thanked him and told the others he'd be here in thirty seconds. Exactly thirty seconds later Lugrum himself roared into the clearing and charged our direction, causing fear in the Cullens. Lugrum came charging right at me, but I was not afraid at all, I knew what he was doing, or so I thought.

I realized less than a second before imminent impact that he wasn't going to stop, though I wasn't sure why. I knew I had to act immediately and on instinct. Quicker than lightning I jumped fifteen feet up into the air, flipped, and landed down behind Lugrum, who after seeing that roared a laugh, which the Cullens took for a real roar and I could feel their panic.

_Sorry Bells, Lecio told me to do that to try and force an instinctual reaction power out of you, I guess it worked_ Lugrum apologized and explained, and I instantly knew he was trustable. I laughed with his roar of a laugh, and went over to give him a high five, which he stood up on hind legs to give me, making me jump up high to reach it. I smiled and turned to the Cullens, who were still frozen in shock.

I laughed at them and then explained "Lecio told Lugrum to try and force an instinctual reaction power out of me, with much success. It was just a way to help boost my powers, that's all. No real danger, it's okay. "I told them.

They all unfroze and Edward came down to stand next to me without hesitation and wrap his arm around me. Lugrum saw this and his head tilted to the side before he smiled a lopsided grin that would look menacing to most people, but I could feel the joy coming off of him.

"Lecio told me. I guess nearly any animal who sees is gonna know, right? " I asked Lugrum. He nodded his big head and laughed again; he was very playful. The Cullens came down the steps together, still very cautious. Lugrum stared at them with his head tilted to the side and laughed again.

_Did you know that all of them are soul mates too? And they just don't know it. Each pair is their soul mate pairs, how they all got brought together in one family I don't know, but they did. Might wanna let them know that, it'll inspire their love lives. _Lugrum told me, laughing all the time. I laughed with him and whispered in Edward's ear about the soul mates thing. He laughed quietly for a moment before the two of us turned to face the pairs of soul mates.

"Hey, guess what Lugrum just told me? All animals can sense when two people are soul mates. You each are soul mates of your lovers, and you didn't even know it. " I told them, laughing a bit. They stared at their partners for a moment before they embraced the fact that they're soul mates one by one and each one embraced their partners, then kissed each other, fervently in Rosalie and Emmett's case.

I leaned into Edward's side and he wrapped his arm more firmly around my waist, holding onto me tightly. I turned back to Lugrum who was also watching the couples as well; peace was radiating off of him.

I spoke to Lugrum telepathically about what he could show Carlisle to prove that you would be kind to him because you were my friend. I told him that Carlisle and the others were already completely impressed with him showing up in the first place. He gave some suggestions of his own and he decided he'd try something out.

Lugrum ran off into the woods and now that everybody was back to paying attention to their surroundings they all stared after him.

He returned a moment later with three friendly neighborhood squirrels on his back, each holding a beautiful bunch of wildflowers in their little paws. Lugrum stopped slowly and allowed the squirrels to hop off and run to Alice, Rosalie, and Esme with their flower bunches. The squirrel's jumped onto the girls' shoulders and handed them the flowers, jumping off and scurrying back into the woods from whence they came afterwards.

Lugrum bowed politely for the ladies and roared into the air, like a signal. He had apparently asked around for help. From within the highest branches of the trees in the forest flew five small birds, a dove, a cardinal, a bluebird, a blackbird, and a robin.

They all swooped and circled over head and one after another dropped a bunch of roses around me and on top of me. They smelled so fresh and sweet, I thanked the birds telepathically since they had all as one said _We are honored Bella, we bring the gifts of a favorite flower. _I thanked them gratefully and pulled all the roses together into one bunch, smelling them. They smelled amazing.

Lugrum stood on hind legs and held up a paw to Edward, and Edward seemed to catch on right away. He high-fived Lugrum and Lugrum walked around on his hind legs to all the boys, giving high fives. After that Lugrum bowed to everybody and we heard the distinct sound of a car coming up the driveway; well Lugrum and I did anyways.

He glanced worriedly my way and I told him "Go, we'll be fine, we just want to make sure you are. You can head home, you've done a wonderful job, and I shall speak to you again some other time. Goodbye Lugrum. " I said to him. He roared a quieter, quick farewell and darted into the cover of the trees. The sound of the approaching tires were getting closer, the Cullens would be able to hear them soon. At the moment the Cullens were looking at me with a confused expression.

"You have company almost down the driveway." I told them, "I'll be back in a moment, I'm gonna grab some stuff that makes us look less inconspicuous." I used my new reactional instinct with the sound of the approaching car and moved at lightning speed, but with perfect clarity and precision, into the house and grabbing a few things.

I ran back out and threw a football in the air which Emmett and Jasper went to play with. I gave Carlisle a book to read in a lawn chair. I brought out and got some ice tea and home decorating and fashion magazines for Esme, Rosalie, and Alice. I also brought out a frisbee which Edward and I began throwing back and forth with a water bottle by each our feet. I winked at everybody and they started to act like they had been outside for a while when the car coming down the driveway came into the clearing, making itself known.

It was a very nice truck, brand new looking, black and shiny. It looked like it was nearly meant to go off-road and was nice and shiny. Whoever was in the car opened the door and stepped out, and whoever they were they weren't alone. A total of seven people stepped out of the car, four girls and three men. The girls were all our age, as was two of the men, except for the woman who was approximately Esme's age and who was holding hands with a man much like Carlisle.

As soon as the people stepped out of the car Alice, Rosalie, Esme, and Carlisle got up and went over to them, Alice and Rosalie squealing and hugging everyone. Emmett caught the football he and Jasper had been playing with and threw it at the newcomers, and one of the teenaged boys caught it with a smile on his face and went to join the boys, the other teenager going with him.

I caught the frisbee and set it down, walking over to Edward while looking over at the newcomers. Edward quietly explained "That's our cousins from Denali, up in Alaska where we used to live. The older man and woman are Carmen and Eleazer, they're married and these are their also adopted children. The boy Garrett both a ponytail is with the girl Kate, who has the pale blonde hair. The other boy, Laurant, is the one with the dreadlocks and is with Irina, the girl with straight silvery hair. The last one with strawberry blonde hair is Tanya, who you should watch out for. Carmen and Eleazer adopted only the girls, the boys came to live with them after they hooked up with the girls. " Edward said while rolling his eyes.

I took his word on the fact that I should watch out for Tanya; she did seem like the kind of girl who would snatch up anybody boy if she thought he looked good enough, but I knew I shouldn't judge her yet. I connected myself with the minds of the Cullens and Hales, instructing them not to tell the Denali clan anything of what's happened anywhere like school or anything about my gift.

Alice typically begged to tell them that Edward and I were together, and I allowed that without a second thought. Everyone else was clear and the link faded. I decided to go over and introduce myself to the newcomers. Before I could Emmett's voice invaded my head.

_Hey Bella! Wow this is so cool, can I tell the guys about your amazing knack for getting into trouble with other students so they'll defend you too and then tell them about how good at sports you are? Can I? Can I? _Emmett asked me. I almost laughed out loud, he was such a little kid sometimes. I told him yes and I heard him mentally whoop.

I shook my head and grabbed Edward's hand to go over to the Denali family.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 9**

The relatives from Denali didn't seem all that bad, especially not at first look. Laughing, smiling, hugging people and talking to everyone. It was nice to be a part of this, something I enjoyed experiencing that I hadn't experienced since I was about five. Of coarse that's all thanks to Charlie. As we were walking towards the northern relatives my brain stopped for a moment, as if time had frozen. Suddenly my brain was pumping ideas double-time. I didn't want to go back to Charlie today, but I knew I had to.

Suddenly I got an idea, a way to make my life much easier, in a place I would be much more comfortable. I could run away this Monday, when Charlie thinks I'm going to school. I could run into the forest and stage my 'death'. I could take scraps of one of my shirts and some of my jean scraps and put them on the forest floor while messing up some leaves around it, then put some blood on it. I could ask Carlisle if he'd lend me some blood from the hospital; it'd be perfect. Charlie would never find me; I'd be free.

The thought made me smile, and I rejoiced mentally.

By now Edward and I were walking up to the visitors, saying our hello's. Edward greeted them all by name, as did I since the names were so easy for me to remember. Eleazer reminded me so much of Carlisle when you saw the sparkle in his eyes from him getting an idea. Now that I thought about it, he and Carlisle had the same hair style, though they were of opposite colors.

I was guessing this is where the relationship in the family brought us all together; they were brothers. Twins possibly, though Eleazer might be a little older. Carmen was a lot like Esme too, except slightly curvier and with shiny black hair. The both hugged me, saying hello, even before asking who I was. I knew I'd grow to like these people, and I might be able to trust them all with my secret, Carmen, Eleazer, Garrett, Laurant, and Kate maybe, but I wasn't sure about Irina or Tanya. I kept that thought in place for now since I needed to deal with the present.

"And who might this beautiful young lady be? " Eleazer asked politely to Edward, while kissing my hand in a very gentlemanly fashion. I smiled lightly and looked over in Edward's direction. When he caught my eye he smiled at me and I automatically smiled back.

"This is Bella, my girlfriend. " Edward told them simply, though apparently it was enough. I could feel the emotions of everybody much stronger right now, for it seemed they were all listening, though they were pretending not to. The boys all high-fived, feeling elated, but I could feel huge amounts of jealousy and hate coming from someone.

I glanced quickly out of my eye towards Tanya and knew it had easily come from her. She had a fake smile plastered on her face, it was so fake that Mister Harris could've seen through it easily, and that was saying something. Rosalie and Alice were glancing nervously at Tanya, as if afraid she would lash out at them. I rolled my eyes quickly and turned my attention back to Carmen and Eleazer.

"Well that already makes her part of the family then, now doesn't it?" Carmen asked excitedly. We all laughed at her, but Carlisle, Esme, and Edward nodded their heads at her. She was so excited she ran over to give me yet another hug, sounding so happy. I was wondering why for a moment, until they walked away to go inside for refreshments at Esme's request when Edward whispered in my ear "She's a little sensitive about family members like that, feels like the world is full of her friends and her family is anyone she comes in contact with. However, what I meant was true; you are part of this family, now and forever. " He smiled at me and I stared deep into his eyes, though I found no lie.

I was so overcome with emotions of love and happiness I just reached up and kissed him. He returned the kiss full force and pulled me against him, holding his arms firmly around my waist. Possessively even. It made me feel very desirable and very loved. He opened his mouth to allow me entrance and we kissed like that for several minutes, savoring each other's sweet taste and love. When we finally pulled back we were panting slightly.

Edward smiled that dazzling crooked smile of his at me, and I felt like I melted into a puddle right there. He was so unfair, teasing me like that. When he saw the effect that had on me he laughed loudly, yet it sounded like chiming bells; the perfect melody. I loved hearing his laugh, it lit me up inside. He put his arm back around my waist snugly as we walked inside where everyone else had already gathered.

As soon as we came in however, Alice came up to me with a smile that probably would look genuine to anyone else; except me. She couldn't put anything past me. I put my hand over Edward arm that was around my waist and he looked down at me with questioning eyes. He looked into my eyes and there were no need for words; he understood. He loosened his arm and put it back at his side and I smiled slightly at him before letting Alice grab my hand and drag me away.

Alice took me up the two gorgeous oak staircases and halfway down the hall to her bedroom. When we got in there I saw Rosalie, Kate, and Irina already there, sitting in a semicircle on Alice's bed. Alice sat next to Kate and left me the spot between her and Rosalie. I sat between them and looked around with questioning eyes, wondering what exactly they all wanted me up here for. Before I could ask Alice spoke to everyone.

"Okay, so we have a serious problem, and we have to make sure nothing comes out of it, and we need Bella's permission for this." she told everyone. She then turned my way and said "Bella, Rosalie and I need your permission to tell these two everything. They don't know any of it yet, but they need to. It's for you Bella, this could help you a lot." she said.

I considered it for a moment, taking it deep into thought. I had the greatest feeling I could trust Kate with my life if it depended on her. I still wasn't sure about Irina though. I knew this was a perfect time to practice my abilities, so I called out to a bird in the woods nearby, a robin as it happened. I asked the robin if he would be able to tell if Irina was trustworthy or not, and he said yes. However, he said that was only something certain creatures could do, so he warned me to be careful what I ask of other animals. I obliged and asked him if he could fly in here. I told him we'd have the window open.

It actually was quite cool in here whereas it was nice and warm outside, so I asked Alice if I could open up the window to let a warm breeze in, since it was a little chilly. She nodded her head at me and I stood from the bed and walked over to Alice's balcony doors, opening them wide to let in the summer breeze. As I did a little robin flew in, the one I had spoken to.

He flew around the girls' heads and they all laughed; it was an entertaning sight. Yet still, the robin had done what I had asked. He told me she was trustworthy enough for what I needed, and that she would not betray me. I thanked the robin and walked out onto the patio and grabbed some bird seed that Alice had out and gave it to the robin from the palm of my hand. Thanking me, he flew away again, off into the gorgeous green woods.

I re-entered the room and sat back on the bed. Alice glanced my way for confirmation, and I nodded my head at her. I decided I'd make things easier though, so instead of explaining everything I'd show them everything. I'd pass them my memories, so they would understand it all in a some minutes time. I instructed everyone to hold hands, and we created a circle with our arms. I gathered up all the memories I needed and passed them through to everybody. Like the flow of a river.

All four girls gasped, but I just thought through one memory and another, telling them everything they needed to know. When they had seen just about everything one of my more horrid memories accidently leaked in; it was Charlie pulling a knife down my arm, and me screaming in pain. The horrid image lasted for less than a second, merely a flash like the light of a camera, but it was long enough. Everybody caught onto the image. It seemed to hang in the forefront of their minds.

We all opened our eyes and they all immediately focused on me. There was something painful in all their eyes, something deeper than normal pain, and it greatly worry me. Little Alice looked like she might cry, but she also looked fearful. Wait, fearful? Like she didn't want to believe it was true, like she wanted to believe it was a nightmare. I couldn't look at her, or anyone else. It was too powerful to see.

"B. . Bella? " Alice asked in a very small and scared voice. She kept glancing between my eyes and my arm, back and forth constantly. I sighed and told them "That was an accident, I hadn't meant for you to have to see that. "I told them sadly, sighing at the end and looking down at the patterns on the bedspread. Alice touched my arm and I looked up at her.

She was asking to know, she wanted to know what happened. But I knew that if I were to tell her one thing I would have to tell her it all. And having a perfect memory wasn't going to help my holding back for her sake. She held out her hand towards my arm, half wanting to check and half not it seemed. Too scared to want to know the truth.

I sighed once more and pulled back my sleeve all the way to my biceps so they could see that arm. It had its nine scars on it running up and down and was still covered in bruises. I rolled up my other sleeve and my pant legs up to my knees so they could see the black bruise on my left leg and the purple bruises on my other leg.

I then quickly stood up and closed the balcony doors and curtains on all the windows, including the window wall and went over and locked the door. I pulled off my shirt and stepped out of my jeans so they could see everything there was to see. They all gasped in horror and I thought I heard Alice give a tiny sob. She had tears running down her face, as did Rosalie. Kate and Irina were both staring in pain, shock, and sympathy. I guess it was quite a shock.

"Do you guys wanna hear this story too? " I asked them very quietly, in a very small and childlike voice, like a small child who once seemed happy and now seemed to have a dark secret she wasn't supposed to share. Alice nodded her head as did Rosalie. Kate nodded her head slowly, still looking over my broken ribs and bruised shoulders warily. Irina was looking unsure, but nodded her head too.

I pulled my jeans back on and was about to put my shirt back on when Alice got off the bed and walked over to me, stopping me. She turned me around to look at my back and I heard her tiny little gasp. She could see half of the thick scar running down my back, but not all because of my large wraparound bandages on my waist for the stab.

I unwrapped the bandages so she could see the full scar and turned around again so she could see the stab mark. Irina put her head in her hands, crying softly, while Kate comforted her. Rosalie too got off the bed to come over to me and look at the stab wound. She looked at it and then looked into my eyes. She hugged me then, slightly fiercely but carefully, being wary of my bruises and scars.

I had to thank her for that. Alice hugged me too, and I felt Kate and Irina join in the group hug, me in the middle. One by one the all let go and went to sit back on the bed. I rewrapped my stomach again and put my shirt back on and joined them on the bed.

Wordlessly, we joined hands in a circle again and I started when I was five, the day my mother left. The beginning of the worst days of my life. I showed them every horrid image that showed Charlie's cruelty, and it was a lot to take in for them. It had been a lot for me at the time too.

I showed him throwing me into walls, down the stairs, bashing my head against things, stepping on me, cutting me, whipping me, beating me with everything in him. Horrid image after horrid image rolled by through us all, and everyone had tears streaming down their faces and were sobbing, but they kept their eyes closed and continued to watch as I grew up and got hurt more and more, went to the hospital more and more, told lies about my injuries more and more. It was horrible. After about half an hour of sitting there we had gotten as far as last week, where they saw where all the more recent scars came from. They saw him stabbing me and fully cutting my arms and back. They saw him step on my leg and slap me and punch me. They saw it ALL.

After a good thirty-five minutes or more, the images ended, and we all opened our eyes, looking at one another. All eyes again turned to me and suddenly everyone was hugging me at once. We all sat and cried and sobbed in each other's arms for a long while, hugging and holding onto each other. So this was what true friends were like. Finally after what seemed like forever of sadness, we all wiped our eyes clean and tried to relax.

I didn't want the boys or Tanya to see our puffy eyes, so I pulled everyone into Alice's bathroom and turned on some hot water, putting some oils on a sponge and making the room smell good in the process. I wasn't sure exactly what I was doing, but it felt right. I pressed the sponge with the stuff on it over my eyes one at a time and the redness, puffiness, and strain was gone immediately. The others did the same and when we all looked as we should, we reopened the curtains, balcony doors, and unlocked the door again.

We all sat on Alice's bed again, however, to discuss the original point; my secret. We went over all the details again and they all swore it would only stay between us. I then told them about the plan I had for getting away from Charlie on Monday, and I hoped it worked. They all agreed it was a good plan and that settles the matter. Kate volunteered that we go and eat a snack since we were all so hungry. How right she was.

I glanced at the clock on Alice's nightstand and saw it had only been and hour and fifteen minutes since I arrived at the Cullen's; I still had time. Before we made it downstairs, however, Alice stopped me and whispered in my ear "You have to tell Edward. Everything. He must know or nothing is going to work. You must tell a soul mate everything there is to know. "she told me. I would have argued the point, but she was right, and nothing I could say would change that. I nodded my head solemnly at her and we continued down the stairs.

When we entered the kitchen we found a bowl of fruit on the table with five water bottles. Esme must have left them out for us. We each took a bottle and a piece of fruit and went out into the sunshine to relax.

The boys were already all outside tossing a football back and forth and trying to steal it from each other. I laughed at them and then whispered in Kate's ear "Are Garrett and Laurant trustworthy? Could we trust them with the secret? "I asked her quietly. She nodded her head at me. "I'll tell them all later." I told her. She, again, nodded her head.

Edward suddenly noticed I was outside and threw the football in my direction. I caught it with ease and set down my green apple next to my water bottle and went out to join them. The other boys still looked wary about my skills, so I showed off a little. Just a little. Or a lot. I told Emmett to go long and he ran out a good hundred-fifty feet, holding his arms in the air and yelling "Throw it!" I threw the ball in a perfect spiral that made it all the way to him. He caught it and threw it back to me. I caught it again and tossed it to Garrett.

We continued to play for a while until I asked the time and found out I only had another hour and a half before Charlie would be home. I told them I needed to go home and the girls' eyes widened in fear and they all shook their heads. I mentally told them all _Yes! If I don't he'll come looking for me, and then I won't be the only one getting hurt. _I grimaced at the thought and the girls seemed to understand. Suddenly I noticed Tanya and the adults were no where to be seen.

"Hey Edward, where are Carlisle, Eleazer, Esme, Carmen, and Tanya at? " I asked him.

"Carmen and Esme went out to do some grocery shopping since the family is staying for a couple weeks, Carlisle and Eleazer are in Carlisle's study discussing things, and Tanya is in the restroom. " he told me, rolling his eyes. I almost laughed at him, until I thought about Tanya. She wouldn't have been in there very long. I searched out with my senses and found Tanya wasn't in the restroom, but in Edward's room.

"I'll be back in just a moment, kay? " I told him. He nodded his head at me and I mentally told him _Stay here please, and try to make sure everyone else stays either out here or on the main floor. This won't take long. _He eyes me conspicuously, but nodded his head all the same. I gave him a quick hug and ran inside, quickly but quietly. Nobody seemed to notice my departure.

When I reached the stairs I went into total stealth mode, slinking up the stairs and down the hall like a panther, not making a sound. I went up the second staircase and down the second hall the same way until I came to Edward's open door. I listened inside and heard someone walking around and throwing stuff in various directions. Hmm...

I heard things shattering and breaking and the sound of paper being ripped. I squeezed into the room to see Tanya ripping some paper in half and throwing it into the trashcan.

She didn't notice my presence at all, merely walking around and destroying Edward's room more. I decided to fully let my presence be known.

"Having fun? " I asked her casually, almost as if asking her how she thought the weather was. My eyes betrayed the fact that I was annoyed and angry. When Tanya heard me she practically had a heart attack. She spun around eyes wide and terrified for a moment. After she saw me her muscles bunched up and she looked furious. Apparently she hadn't been expecting me.

"Oh, it's you. Come to look for your boyfriend? " she asked me. I wasn't worried about her, I was worried about Edward and what he might try to do to her when he saw what she did to his room. I was completely relaxed in front of her with my hands at my sides, my eyes accusing, but nothing else out of place or suggesting she and I were enemies. A complete stranger could walk by and think we were friends that were simply arguing and have _no idea_.

"Actually, he's waiting for me downstairs, I just wanted to see what you were doing in his room. " I told her. She seemed slightly taken aback for a moment at my directness before she recovered her pose. She reminded me of Charlie in a way, how at work he was a sweet and helpful man, but at home he was a demon. Just like Tanya when she was around Edward. A wolf in sheep's clothing.

"How did you know I was up here? " she asked me in an annoyed tone.

"I just knew, let's leave it at that." I told her smugly, taunting her. "It doesn't matter, I've seen you and I know what you've done, and I can prove it to people too, into showing it was you." I told her, smiling menacingly. She didn't even look the least bit worried.

"You won't be able to prove anything! While you're up here cleaning they'll find you and say you did it! Then Edward will leave you and be mine like he should be. " she said seethingly, and much like the snake she was, before sprinting out of the room.

I knew she was right about what could happen if I didn't worry. I used my powers to call out to the woods for the help. Some birds and squirrels volunteered to help fix up the room with me. They all grabbed some clovers as I began putting broken things back together. One robin brought me an amazingly huge bundle of clovers for it's small size, before telling me why.

_A clover can fix any injury or break, no matter how big. It just has to be there. _I studied the clover confusedly for a moment before unsurely holding it between two ripped pieces of note paper.

The paper reconnected and reformed the way it was before Tanya had ripped it almost immediately. I smiled and some of the squirrels and I began quickly fixing everything and putting it back where it went. Suprisingly, it didn't take quite as long as I thought it would. BUt then again, I had a lot of help from my friends. After the room look clean and as it should be I dismissed my very helpful friends, thanking each of them in turn. But as usual, they said they were honored to have been chosen and accepted no thanks nor offerings, saying that merely speaking with me was reward enough. I wished I could give them something anyway.

It seemed unfair to me, but I wouldn't judge. I closed the window they came in through and turned away from it to leave. As I stepped into the hallway and closed the door with a soft _click_, I heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

I turned around to see Edward following an eager looking Tanya with a very confused-looking expression on his face. I waved to him and reopened the door I had just closed to allow them entry. When Tanya walked in she looked smug and so sure of herself before she saw how spotless the room was, in spite of the mess she had made only minuted earlier.

She stood there speechless for a moment before rounding on me, screaming "YOU!" She ran at me and tried to punch me with her perfectly manicured nails and flimsy hands, but I easily dodged her. She swung at me again, wider and harder this time. I grabbed her arm and spun her around, locking her arms together behind her back. She struggled for a moment before she kicked backwards into my knees, and hitting the bruise still in place below my left one. Crap.

I knelt down in pain, and Tanya thought it was all because _she_ kicked me. It might've made me laugh had I not been in considerable pain. Stupid Charlie and his long-lasting bruises.

Tanya sauntered over to Edward, swaying her hips as she walked and looking at him with lusty, greedy eyes. _The bitch actually thought she had won. What a slut._ I thought to myself. But Edward had eyes only for me, and I was thankful for that a thousand times over. I rolled over onto my side so there was no pressure on my left leg, and tried to slowly sit up without really moving it that much. I pulled up my pant leg up to my knee and surveyed the damage.

The bruise had just been tackled, which meant it would probably take even longer to heal, but it wasn't too bad. It still looked horrible and hurt like hell, but at least Tanya didn't make it worse. I surveyed the dark black bruise that covered the entire length of my left shin, and I heard Edward's quiet gasp. Suddenly he was at my side, holding me up and looking at my bruise carefully, as if afraid by going near it in case he could make it worse. As if that was possible for him to do.

Tanya was still standing in the doorway, frozen with her mouth open, staring at the bruise like an imbecile. If she thought _she _had cause this, she was in for a nice little bruise of her own.

"Okay, there's no way I could have done that. "she said, as if trying to defend herself. I glanced over at her and just looking at her made me feel sick. She sounded like she was trying to be innocent and caring, but there was an undertone in her voice that suggested she liked the idea of me having bruises like that from her. Her eyes looked smug, like she thought Edward would go running to her if I got hurt. As if.

Edward helped me stand up and limp over towards the doorway. We stopped in front of it since Tanya was still in the way. She refused to move. This girl was really starting to push my temper. Big mistake.

"Tanya, " I told her in a very deadly and quiet voice that would send shivers down even Emmett's spine, "get out of my way before I beat you down the hall and out that window over there. " I pointed over her shoulder. She glanced back and swallowed hard, shivering at the thought. She turned her now-scared eyes back on me. "Now move. " I commanded her sternly. She shivered a little once more and stepped out of the way and backed towards the opposite wall and away from my murderous gaze. And the window.

Edward glanced into my eyes and told me _Your eyes go pitch black when you're mad like that, did you know that? It really is quite intimidating. _he informed me. I shook my head at him and made the anger fade away and focused on making all my steps gentle.

Edward helped me down all the stairs and into the living room on the main floor. He led me out the front door, slowly but surely. Edward helped me into the car and we sped off down the long driveway. I was sad to watch the house vanish from sight, but _why?_

I glanced at the clock on the dashboard and sighed in frustration. Tanya's little stunt had cost me twenty minutes, and that was twenty minutes I needed to spend making Charlie's dinner. When Edward pulled up I gave him a quick kiss goodbye and hurried inside as fast as my injured leg would allow. For the next hour I sped around the house, cleaning up and making dinner in a hurry. I hope I didn't mess anything up!

Just as I was pulling Charlie's dinner out of the oven I heard his cruiser pull into the driveway. I quickly set out his dinner and two beer bottles and straightened the pillows on the couch before running upstairs. I tripped on the last step and fell on the floor, though the sound made was very quiet. Thank God. If it had been loud he would have gotten mad again, and I did NOT need another bruise.

I quickly got up and dashed silently into my room and sat on the floor in my usual spot next to my closet door. I grabbed my sketchbook and a pencil and spent the time sketching a squirrel. I put a label at the bottom of the picture called "A Helpful Tree-Rat" I liked the name, it brought laughter bubbling to my lips, though I stayed silent. I'd never done animals before, merely people and places.

It took longer than I thought, but in the end I'd finally sketched the perfect squirrel. He had a nice bushy tail and tiny little hands, holding a few clovers in his grip. HE had been one of the squirrels that had helped clean Edward's room with me. I put down my notebook with a smile and listened to what Charlie was doing. He was almost to the sofa when the doorbell rang. My face went white and I dashed to the window and looked out onto the front porch. Standing there and smiling brightly was, guess who? None other than _famous_ Tanya. And she was holding my jacket. Oh crap.

I could hear Charlie get up off the sofa and walk over to the door grumpily. After a moment he opened it and in his friendly voice that he uses on people other than me, said "Hello miss, what can I do for ya? " He sounded like any dad and police officer should, but I knew this was only a sugar-sweet coating. Nobody would notice the difference except people that had seen his real side. Namely me.

"I was just bringing Bella's jacket over, she left it at my cousin's house. " Tanya said just as sugary sweetly, holding my jacket out and feigning innocence of any kind. But I knew what she was doing. Playing up for Edward and trying to get me in trouble. She must have guessed I wasn't supposed to be at the Cullen's, or she was just guessing lucky. For her anyways. She wouldn't be so lucky the next time I saw her face.

"Well thank you very much. What was Bella doing over at your cousin's house? " Charlie asked politely, taking my jacket from her as he did so. I knew I was in deep trouble now. All my instincts were suddenly screaming _run!_

"Oh, you didn't know? Bella and my cousin Edward are dating, she came over with him and spent the whole afternoon there with him and the girls. " She told him, acting as if she had no idea he didn't know where I was. Maybe she overheard some of the girls talking. Damnit, I am sooo dead.

I had two options. I could stay here and face it head on, or I could run. I felt like running, as my instincts continued to scream at me, but I'd only have one minute tops to pack silently and then sprint out of the house. and I wouldn't make it all the way downstairs anyways. Maybe the window...

As insane as it seemed, I figured I'd see how far I got with plan B. I grabbed my schoolbag and my empty gym bag. I put my schoolbag in there and opened my closet. I put lots of fruits and water in the bag, and my entire medical kit. I also put my only clothes in there, and a thin blanket in case I needed it for something. _You never know_ I thought.

It only took me about thirty seconds to pack all this. I was so pleased with myself for being ready for anything at a moment's notice. I put the duffle over my shoulder's and heard Charlie thanking Tanya and saying goodbye. He closed the front door and I opened my window, silently thanking God for my window's silence, and sprinted out stealthily onto the lower roof.

I climbed up to the top roof and stared at the nearby forest. The trees weren't that far away... I had the sudden thought that I could jump it. I felt my muscles stretch a bit, and I backed up to the other edge of the house, with the palms of my feet on the very extreme edge. I thought of how little kids always jumpedoff of things, thinking they could fly. Would that happen to me, only to have me fall down to the ground?

Something felt wrong though. I looked at my feet and thought about my shoes. They felt at the wrong angle. I took them off and put them in my bag for when I was back out in the public eye. I walked slowly to the edge of the roof facing the forest and slipped my duffel off my shoulders.

I began swinging my arm, further and further back, until with a great burst of strength, my duffel flew out of my hands and into the woods, where with my enhanced sight I could see it caught on a nice looking tree branch. Conveneint. I went back to the opposite side of the roof and noticed that Tanya's car was just going around the corner. I listened and felt the vibration beneath my toes of Charlie stomping up the stairs. Here goes nothing. And everything.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 10**

When I heard him reach my room he immediately went to the open window. He looked down and then up and saw me standing there. I couldn't resist it, I smiled and waved at him. He roared in outrage and climbed out my window and onto the lower roof. I turned back to my goal and took a deep, cleansing breathe. The sound of Charlie's cursing and roars faded away and all I could here was the wind calling my name softly.

I began to lightly run across the long roof, and could sense Charlie's footsteps coming up behind me. But I didn't care. I gently closed my eyes and picked up my speed slightly before gracefully launching off the end of the roof.

I soared gently through the soft air, which felt like sweet feathers caressing my skin. I could smell the trees were closer to me now, so I reopened my eyes and caught a very useful branch just in time. I swung lightly un the branch before landing on the balls of my feet on a lower branch as gracefully as a mountain lion.

I straightened up quickly and spotted my duffel just above me. I reached up and grabbed it and slung it over my shoulders. Before I took off into the deeper parts of the forest I looked back over my shoulder at Charlie, who was standing on the edge of the roof with his mouth open and staring at me.

I teasingly waved at him and blew him a kiss, and before I turned away I could see his shocked expression turn to one of rage. I chose that moment to skedaddle out of there. I turned heel and jumped down to the forest floor. What would usually feel hard, crunchy, and just out-right painful to people felt suddenly soft and smooth to me.

I caressed the forest floor gently and breathed in the sweet air of freedom. I began an easy yet swift jog deep into the darker parts of the forest. I caught sight of the Olympian Mountain Range and headed in that direction. I figured if I got near the mountains then that would be too far in for him to find me.

As I started to jog I thought about the Cullens. I couldn't bear to be away from them for too long, especially not Edward. They were my true family now. I changed my direction towards the Cullen home. Then inspiration struck. I could run through the Quileute Reservation and go straight to the Cullen home from there; that'd make me more difficult to track. I decided on that and began jogging towards the reservation.

It would be a long jog, I knew that much. But I also knew that I could do it, and that I would. I guessed that at my current speed I'd reach the Cullen household sometime tonight, probably in the early hours of the morning.

I began to wonder vaguely if I could somehow increase my speed and an idea struck me. I remember Lecio telling me that I would become a part of the forest when I needed to. That I would become a shape-shifter of sorts. I thought for a moment about the animal I would like to become and thought of a wolf. They were fast and agile and of fair size, they blended in and I had always seen them as very intelligent creatures. I pulled my duffel off my back and after a moment's thought tied the straps at an angle that would make me be able to slip the bag onto my back when I had transformed.

Now I just needed to focus.

Focus.

I took many deep, cleansing breaths and concentrated on the forest surrounding me, and I again felt at one with nature. I felt free, and I felt at peace again. Like all was as it should be out here. I focused on my inner being, with some difficulty since I'd never attempted this before. I found my inner being and searched in it for the will to be able to shape-shift back and forth and to be able to shape-shift into the one creature I now needed. Deep, deep inside my spirit I felt a creature, one that was totally at one with the forest and the world.

I was utterly shocked for a moment to find out that my inner spirit was in fact a wolf itself, but not just any wolf. It was its own species. Larger than a wolf by far, yet still with the right features and graceful looking. It looked sleek and fast, and it seemed to call out to me, as if asking me to transform into the beautiful soul of the creature within me. I concentrated, but left my eyes open.

I felt a slight weight on my collarbone, one that wasn't there before. I looked down and saw a necklace, made of the most firm and elegant dark twine in the forest. On the twine was a stone, with a smooth, dark grey texture and white swirls in it, like a swirling mist. It also had some slight, hidden shades of green and brown. I wondered vaguely what it was and how it got there, before I heard the beautiful whisper voice from within my heart that had before told me Lecio and Delvy's names.

_For when one the forest needs, and the forest is also needed by its savior, _

_a message shall ring through the hearts and minds of the creatures of all the land, _

_telling them that their gifted one has come to the wilderness with them, _

_for however short a time or however varied it may be. The creatures shall rejoice, _

_and there shall be singing in the wind throughout the world. Upon the gifted the stone of the Earth is given, _

_and shall allow the beholder to transform into any creature walking the Earth, _

_though the gifted's strongest and most powerful transformation will take place into _

_the creature of their soul and will help to defend the beloved planet the most. _

_All they need do is touch the stone around their neck and have their heart draw strength, _

_and for them to think of what they wish to become for any length of time. _

_The creature one becomes does not signify who they really are, it merely gives them power. _

_The power of having the voice inside and to be given the stone of the Earth is an honor, _

_one that should never be mistreated or underestimated, for it can do great things. _

_Use your gift well young one, and discover with the stone of the Earth all that you can do. _

With that, the magical voice of my heart faded away, and I was left standing there listening to the last ringing tones of its last words. I knew I would honor my gift to the best of my ability, and would use it wisely. The idea of being able to transform as such enlightened me, and made me feel great. I wanted it, not only so I could feel at one with the forest, but so I could help anyone, anything, anywhere, almost anytime. It was a wonderful gift, and I felt truly blessed to have been granted it.

I took another deep breathe and thought with a pure, ringing voice and a new tenor in it showing power and strength of a wolf, and I felt my body change. In less than half a second I had gone from being a girl to being a beautiful pure white wolf. Well, almost pure white. I had russet tipped eared and the tip of my tail and paws were a lush russet as well. They still had some of the dark brown in it, but the color was mostly russet. Odd. I shrugged my big shoulders to myself and started walking in a circle.

It was easy, effortless even, for me to do everything I needed. To adapt from a girl to a wolf. It felt natural. I grinned a lopsided and goofy grin and felt in high spirits. I howled into the air of the sunset and with my bag on my back, I set off into the darkening woods towards the reservation and the Cullens.

I noticed I was much larger than the average wolf, I was nearly the size of a horse. But I was very fast, faster than anything else in the world probably. Then I remembered what the voice had told me. I shall have my most powerful and strongest transformation when using the animal of my soul. That was a wolf.

I was overjoyed. I leaped into the air and then dug my paws deep into the earth as I set out at an amazing speed. This was faster than my reaction ability had been as a human, when I had gotten my powers. I grinned to myself and noticed the sound of approaching footfalls, though they were soft and padded and going in beats of four. Paws. Large paws by the sound of it.

There were probably about four coming up on my left from ahead. another four on my right, and a good seven in front of me. Fifteen then. I slowed down a bit, trying not to rush into anything. I shouldered off my duffel bag and put it next to a tree and walked forward slowly and gently.

I could sense that what was in front of me was standing still, and the ones on the sides were slowing down and fanning out; circling me. I didn't mind, if it was a creature of the forest they would be fine with me, but I sensed something different. I sensed human spirits, but animal bodies.

_Werewolves _the voice whispered to me. Suddenly my mind was filled in with every little detail about the werewolves and who they were. It all happened in less than five seconds. I knew it all, and it made sense. The first thought in my head was _That was awesome!_ I accepted it immediately, because I knew it to be true. I could suddenly sense the pack mind. I knew by their voices who they were, even though they didn't say their names.

_Man, what are we doing out here? _- Embry.

_We're coming out to see what that scent is that Leah picked up, and I can feel it, it's something big. _- Jacob, the leader, of one half of the pack anyways.

_Man, do you guys smell that? It smells like the woods itself, not another trace on it. Blends in perfectly. Yet there's something strange about it. _- Jared. Good guess.

_Yeah, but what I smell is danger, so be on your guard. _- Jacob. Always the protective one it seems.

_Here it comes, whatever it is its walking _- Seth warned them.

_Start closing in you guys _-Leah, commanded to her pack, and the ones on my sides began moving in.

_I caught a glimpse of something white, like super white. I've never seen a white so clean, especially out here _- Kim remarked in a suprised voice.

_It looks like an animal, but it's big, Like as big as us, maybe bigger, but only by a bit. _- Quil said, sounding worried.

_Wait, did I just see that right? Did that just look like a wolf? _- Collin asked suprisedly. I felt his ears prick up.

_It's a wolf, bigger than us! It looks female, and dang does it look fast. This has to be like a new species of werewolf or something! _- Brady exclaimed.

_Oh wow she's big, and look in her eyes, they're a dark green, like the color of the leaves. _- Clair said softly. She didn't sound worried, just curious.

_Stay focused guys, we don't know what this thing is. Just be ready for anything. _- Jacob commanded with his Alpha voice. The others got into defensive stances, ready for anything, as Jacob had put it.

I stepped out from the darkness of the thick trees and into the now circle of werewolves, Jacob directly in front of me with Leah now at his side. I was completely surrounded by the wolves, but it did not bother me. I held my head high and kept a mighty posture. The pack's thoughts were going wild with guesses, comments, and shocks of amazement.

I stood there, letting my power show through my form and letting the sense of my presence spread out through the group, and I could see some of the wolves cower slightly or become fidgety and uneasy. It was nice to know I was appreciated in a way. I focused then on the task at hand.

The wolves were one by one falling silent, unsure of what to do now. I felt the power bestowed in me and in my mind's voice, so I called out into the packs joined minds.

_Greetings young, old, and wise werewolves of the Quileute lands, it is an honor to meet you all. _I told them formally. They stared at me with shock, while some's fur bristled. For one tense moment it was still before Jacob regained his cool sense of authority and responded.

_Greetings to you as well. My name is Jacob, I am one of the two leaders of the packs of the Quileutes. The other leader is Leah, and we are honored to meet you as well. Might we ask who you are and why you have come onto our lands? _He asked. His tone was curious and yet withstanding, the qualities of a great leader. Being courteous to any intruders gives them an upper hand. In most cases. This wouldn't have been one of them.

_My name is Isabella Swan, a residence of the town of Forks on your border. The chief of police, Charlie Swan, is my father. I have been given the gift as protector of the Earth and given powers by the Lord and Mother Nature and Earth. I protect any and all who need it and am connected with the world and the minds in it as we speak. I am attempting to reach the Cullen household on the opposite side of your lands, and request permission to pass through._ I told him.

They seemed to be absorbing this for a moment, when Jacob suddenly asked. _Could you please transform back into your human form and let us speak with our voices. We shall all transform as well, and then we can sit and talk, if you have the time? _He asked me catiously. Well done for someone so young.

I nodded to him; I was not expected anywhere yet, and it might be good if I didn't intrude on the Cullen household quite so late at night. I turned around and loped gracefully back to where my bag was and retransformed. I was glad to see that when I transformed my clothes stayed with me. This definitely made things easier. I felt sorry for the other wolves, having the change of their forms causing their clothing to rip apart.

I grabbed my duffel's straps and carried it effortlessly back to the clearing where the now human wolves were waiting in a group.

When I walked out I knew immediately that I looked different, I saw my reflection in their minds. My dark brown hair had turned to the most gorgeous russet and copper, shining and bouncing with the rays of the moon. My hair had some pure white streaks in it which looked beautiful. Probably the source of my wolf color. My skin was clear of all injury and freckle. It was pure as snow and somewhat tanned, but not a lot. I loved my new appearance. My once brown eyes were now a deep, dark green like the surrounding woods. My stance was graceful as I dropped my duffel to the ground and stood there examining them.

I already knew what they looked like of coarse, but that was beside the point. They all had coppery skin and dark eyes. They all had a slight, or not so slight, muscular build to them and all had curious stares of wonder.

I spoke then. "It is great to be able to speak with you all, " I said and I looked at each person as I said their name. "Jacob, Leah, Sam, Emily, Paul, Jared, Kim, Sarah, Quil, Embry, Claire, Rachel, Collin, Brady, and Seth. " They all had mirrored faces of slight shock and surprise as I pointed them all out by name. Jacob stepped forward then and looked me over for a moment.

"You look different Bells. I don't know if you remember, but when we were little our fathers used to put us together and we'd make mud pies and go swimming. " He told me sheepishly. All at once some of my older, less often remembered memories came flooding to my eyes, and I remembered Jake as a young boy.

I smiled then, the smile I remember smiling so many times as a kid, and I laughed lightly. Jake smiled, just as he had when we were kids. When we used to go swimming and walking on the beach and making our mud pies. Jacob and the packs were only standing a good ten feet in front of me.

"What, I don't get hugs anymore Jake? " I asked him teasingly. He laughed loudly and we walked up to each other and both gave a strong hug, grasping each other tightly. I had missed Jake when I was little, and as a teenager I had often thought of him, wishing he were there to be a ball of sunshine again and to make things better. He was still the old ray of sunshine he used to be.

Jake suddenly surprised me by picking me up and swinging me around like he did all the time when we were still kids, before Charlie had banned me from seeing him anymore. I laughed as he spun me and felt young and free again, without a problem in the world.

"Wow Jake, you've really grown. " I told him when he put me down, looking at how tall and muscular he was. He was a man now, not the little kid I used to know. It was nice to remember the old Jake, but I liked the new one.

"You have too Bells, you look so different. Your hair and eyes especially, they both used to be a dark brown. I wanna hear all about this. " he told me smiling. I smiled and laughed at the pout he put on before nodding my head. We both walked back over to the other wolves and I told everybody to sit in a circle.

"I'm going to do this the same way I did with the Cullens, the people I now consider my family. I am going to show you my whole life however, for I have a perfect memory in that aspect. From the last day I was waving goodbye to you Jake, to us sitting here right now. This will take about an hour, so I hope you all are ready. It won't feel like an hour, but it will be. Everybody join hands with the person next to you. " I instructed them. We formed a circle and I checked that everybody was ready.

"This will only be painful mentally for those with a loving heart and those who don't enjoy seeing pain, otherwise there is no real damage. I am sharing all of this with you because we need to make no mistakes. Keep these memories and thought as secret as the fact that you're all werewolves. Here we go. " I told them formally and seriously. They all nodded their heads with grave eyes and then became still; waiting.

I then poured out my memories from the last day I saw Jake, covered in mud from our latest mud pies and waving at me from his front porch. Everything else from then on followed, and they watched in silence. Everything that had happened to me, every bruise, every scream, every assignment.

It was all horrible, until the Cullens arrival. That's when things got much better, for the most part. We were nearly done, only a few more seconds. The memory they were now seeing was me jumping off the roof into the wind and snagging that tree branch. I heard some of the guys whistle and laugh at the look on Charlie's face.

Then, when it got to here, it faded, and their minds went blank of my memories. They thought through it all for a while, before releasing hands. So maybe it had taken a little more than an hour...

They all stared at me for a moment, before sweet Rachel got up and came over towards me. She sat down in front of me and in an instant was giving me a hug, sobbing. I hugged her and rubbed her back soothingly as she sat there.

Soon everyone joined into a giant group hug. It was a bit emotional. After the girls had shed their tears and the guys had finished off their weariness it was back to business.

"Bella, you were always welcome to our house before and you are now. You're a part of the tribe now girl, a part of the pack. Welocme, pack sister." Jacob told me, smiling warmly. A pack sister; I liked the sound of that. I smiled back and thanked him, and suddenly one of my instincts kicked in. Soul mates. I could sense all of their soul mates.

I could see Jacob and Sarah, Jared and Kim, Paul and Rachel, Quil and Clair, Sam and Emily. It made me smile.

I thanked them again and told them I would visit from time to time and for them to keep me updated. They agreed and I told them farewell, since I needed to get to the Cullens. I changed back into wolf form before their eyes, put my duffel on, and left quickly. I felt the sudden urge to see _my_ soul mate.

At my current speed, I would be at the Cullens within minutes. It was nearing only ten at night; not too late for a friendly visit. In a few minutes time I could see the lights from the inside of the Cullen house shining through the trees. I put my duffel next to a tree on the edge of the woods and sat in the middle of their backyard.

I could see Alice, Kate, Irina, and Rose in Alice's room, and I could see Edward in his room, listening to some music and reading a book. Garrett, Laurent, Emmett, and Jasper were in the living room playing X-Box. Esme was in the kitchen making some dinner, Carlisle was also in the living room, reading a book. Tanya was in the kitchen talking to Esme.

I figured this was the perfect time to allow my presence to be known. Maybe even show off. They'd like that.


	11. Chapter 11

**Diclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 11**

I threw my head back gracefully and howled the most melodic note into the night sky, clear and loud and beautiful. It started soft, and grew slightly in strength, but plenty loud enough to be heard. All the girls in Alice's room went out onto her balcony, Edward onto his. The boys stopped playing and Carlisle stopped reading and they all came to stand with Esme and Tanya in the kitchen to look out the back door.

I decided to give them a little hint, since they all looked like they thought I was a real wolf. I ran in a circle and then scooted to a stop, doing a back-flip and landing with perfect precision.

The girls laughed and pointed, and the guys in the kitchen starting howling. Edward was squinting his eyes for a moment before recognition hit and he was smiling and laughing.

_Hey Edward. _I greeted him, a mock tone of a kid greeting one of their friends through their window and asking if they could come out to play. He laughed again and waved. I stood up on my hind paws on waved back. The others laughed, and Edward looked positively thrilled to see me. I couldn't blame him; I missed him too.

I transformed back into my human form before their very eyes, and everyone's eyes lit up with recognition. Even Tanya's, and she didn't look like she wanted to compete anymore, she was actually turning out friendly feeling. I looked into her heart, and saw the little bit of niceness in her had suddenly grown to take up almost all her heart. Strange and sudden, but I wasn't about to argue. She was trustworthy, as was everyone else. I smiled warmly at her.

Everything was right again. I sped back to my duffel and came back with it slung over my shoulder. I then got an idea.

I thought to myself, whilst holding the stone in my hand, _the wings of a great and powerful bird upon my back so I may fly. _Wings sprouted gently from my back, like two extra limbs. They were a brilliant blue, green, and white with only tinges of all the other colors of the rainbow in them. They were beautiful to say in the least. I gracefully flapped my wings, more like how I pictured an angel's wing beat than a birds, and started to ascend to the top floor.

I stopped just in front of Edward's balcony, where he was still standing, flabbergasted. I laughed at him and it immediately broke the tension. I stepped onto his balcony and my wings receded as I did. I stepped down from the marble railing wall and stopped in front of him. My duffel dropped gently to the floor and my arms automatically reached up around his neck.

His arms automatically wound themselves around my waist tenderly. I stared into his gorgeous emerald green eyes and he stared into my forest green eyes. We began to lean in, closing our eyes. Our lips met in a gentle kiss, sweet and pure. All of our love was poured between us, giving off a faint bit of heat. Through my new eyes I could see into his soul,and it was lit up like a dancing flame and shining with love. It had heat practically radiating off of it; the glow seemed so warm. Like a cozy living room fire in the winter.

My arms around his neck tightened slightly as he deepened the kiss, having begged for entrance with my approval. My fingers wove themselves into his gorgeous bronze hair and he moaned into my mouth. His arms tightened even more around my waist and he held my body as close to his as he could, kissing me deeply and fervantly. His sweet tongue battled with mine for dominence, and in the end mine won out. We began to kiss softly again, the fire burning down slowly, and then Edward began peppering all over my face with kisses, the last one on my nose.

I smiled and hugged him as tight as I could without harming him. I never wanted to let him go now. I had missed him too much. He seemed to have the same idea, except he was probably hugging me with all he had. I heard whistling and whooping and cheering I hadn't noticed in the background before since I was so distracted. Now that I was paying attention I could hear Alice and the girls cheering and whistling. The guys were all whooping. Esme and Carlisle were simply gazing up at us in pure happiness. That was the best of all; their acceptance.

Edward released me slightly,so I was more comfortable and able to actually speak to him.

"I missed you, soo much." I told him, giving him another peck on the lips.

"I missed you just as much. My sweet, sweet Bella." he said to me softly, kissing my nose again. He knew that always made me smile. And I did not dissapoint.

He put his arm around my waist and used his other hand to direct me into his room. I stooped down and picked up my duffel and allowed him to guide me inside. I set my duffel at the foot of the bed and went to sit on the floor next to the leather black sofa. Edward raised a confused eyebrow at me, looking from between the sofa and I.

"My muscles are still a little sore from all that running, I need to stretch them out a bit." I explained to him. Comprehension flickered onto his face and he sat next to me on the floor as I stretched out and massaged my legs carefully, trying not to cause a charlie-horse. Edward simply sat there and watched me, concern holding his eyes for a while. I ignored him for the most part, focusing on my tense muscles.

Finally, Edward spoke up. "Not that I'm not glad to see you, but why are you here?" He asked me curiously, cocking an eyebrow at me.

I stopped massaging my legs and lifted my head to look him dead in the eye. I gently grabbed his hand in my own and thought back to Tanya coming to the front door, all the way to me seeing Charlie's purple face full of rage and running through the woods.

Edward stayed still and unmoving the whole time, and when I released his hand his brows furrowed in confusion. That's when I remembered; he still didn't know about the abuse. Woops, forgot that part just a bit.

"I forgot... you don't know..." I whispered to him, fear evident in my voice. I had been terrified by the thought of telling him about this, but it seemed I now had no choice.

I sat facing him with my whole body, sitting criss-cross-apple-sauce in front of him. I gently took hold of his two large hands in my small ones. I took a deep, calming breathe and released the floodgates of pain. I felt Edward stiffen in front of me and he became tense. I saw him cringing more and more as the flow of memories went on and on. The older I got the worse the beatings got. And I never did anything wrong. He saw that, but I wished he hadn't had to see any of it in the first place.

Edward watched it all, watched my entire life. The whole process took a good hour and some minutes. When I let the memories fade into blankness, Edward wouldn't let go of my hands. I decided to think something different before I saw his eyes. I knew what they'd hold.

I thought of something peaceful, like me walking in the woods as a little girl like I used to. When I was still only six. I would skip through the woods, bending over and picking up flowers as I went until I had a huge bundle of them. I had laughed my little girl laugh, having noticed all the bunnies, squirrels, and birds going around me. The bunnies were popping out all over the place, the birds were singing, and the squirrels were chattering and running around.

I remember how much I used to love doing that. It had been the brightest and most pain free years of my life, until Charlie started to beat me more and more and my world went darker than the woods at night in the dead of Winter.

I opened my eyes and saw the pain still in Edward's eyes, but there was also a content smile on his face. It was then I realized that whatever I thought about right now would go straight to him. He was seeing this memory too. I let the memory fade into the woods with a slight swirling mist about them, to the serenity of it. I smiled slightly, and then released his hands and stared into his pain stricken eyes.

He seemed to be grasping for words. "You... That... He..." he stuttered, trying to find something intelligent to say. I nodded my head at him and he looked at me in amazement, before pulling me into a very tight embrace. Edward was gasping slightly, like he couldn't get enough oxygen. As I held onto him I rubbed his back up and down slowly in a soothing pattern. It seemed to work because his gasping stopped and he relaxed into my arms and I into his. He didn't let go though, not even for a second. He held onto me like I was the only thing keeping him alive.

Funny how that works. In all reality, that's what he was to me.

After what seemed like eons of time, he released his fierce hold on me. He looked at me with pained eyes. "I'm so sorry Bella, I never knew." he gently whispered, his voice calm though the situation was not.

I shook my head at him delicately. "You couldn't have known. It's not your fault." I told him, soft as a whisper, raising my right hand and gently placing it on his cheek. He sighed in content and leaned his face into my hand, planting a light kiss on my palm.

"It's strange isn't it?" I asked him softly, mostly talking to myself though. Edward raised his head and looked at me questionably before I continued, "I've only known you for three days, but its felt so much longer than that."

I was staring unseeing at the carpet far in front of my feet. I did this a lot, staring at random objects with an out-of-focus expression while talking with them. Though they felt less entertaining than the object I was staring at.

Edward sighed quietly and nodded his head, saying softly "Yes, it does feel a little strange, but yet it doesn't. It feels _right_, like this is the way its supposed to be. I feel almost like its always been this way." He looked into my deep green eyes with his soft ones, and I could feel the magnetic pull towards him again.

I didn't hesitate, and neither did Edward. We both leaned foward at the same time as our lips crashed together. The kiss was full of fierceness and urgency; it was like I couldn't get enough of his sweet lips. He attacked my lips with his own just as hungrily. When his tongue begged for entrance I didn't hesitate at all to allow him entry. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck at the same time he slid his around my waist in a fierce, possessive hold. I began tangling my fingers in his soft, messy hair. I liked the feeling of his hair under my fingertips. It was nice.

Edward got off his knees and pulled me to lay next to him on his soft carpet, still kissing eachother as if the world would end tomorrow. He rolled over so that he was hovering over me,supporting all his weight on his arms which were now trapping me at my side. He pulled back from the kiss, breathing slightly heavily, and smiling. I kept my arms around his neck and my fingers played with his gorgeous hair.

He leaned down and whispered in my ear "I love you Isabella Swan" and he began to lightly kiss my neck. He was definitely not helping me to focus on anything, but who says I wanted to?

"As much as I love you, Edward Cullen." I whispered to him. He began to softly nibble on my delicate ear lobe and I squirmed slightly under his touch,giggling a bit. This seemed to give him an idea.

He took one of his hands that he was using to hold himself above me and began tickling my tummy. I giggled and began to laugh. I hated and loved being tickled. It was fun and made you laugh, but yet it was almost a painful laugh, especially if the person wouldn't stop. Edward wasn't showing any mercy; he tickled me and tickled me. I was laughing so hard and trying to roll away from him to escape the tickling, but Edward held me there. Finally, I had had enough so I decided to turn the tables.

Edward caught the look in my eyes and said "Uh-oh." before I unlocked my arms from around his neck and began tickling him instead. He laughed and laughed; God I loved hearing that laugh. It was better than the finest music of the century. It was sweeter than the lightest taste of sugar and honey. I showed him no mercy either,but merely rolled him over so that I was above him, tickling him until he begged for me to stop, still laughing.

I laughed and stopped tickling him,just hovering over him as he calmed down. I could see the laughter and light in his eyes had returned, and it made me smile. I didn't like the slight distance between us though; it seemed wrong. I lowered my body back down so I was laying on top of him and I re-wound my arms around his neck. I rested my head onto his warm chest and listened to his heart beat and the feeling of his chest moving up and down.

I seriously thought at that moment that I was in heaven. Nothing could be better than this moment right here.

I hummed contentedly, snuggling myself closer to Edward as we lay there on his bedroom floor. He wrapped his arms around me like the softest of blankets, providing warmth and comfort. We stayed that way for a while, before I glanced at his clock and noticing it was midnight. Guess we'd been here longer than I'd thought.

"Aren't you getting tired?" I asked him concernedly. He had school tomorrow, and probably needed more sleep than I did. I had school tomorrow too, but that was beside the point. I wasn't going, just in case.

Edward tried stiffling his yawn, but I still heard it. "You are tired, off to bed with you mister." I told him half-teasingly. He only grinned at me.

"Well, I might consider going to bed, but you seem to be in my way." He teased lightly. I giggled a bit and got up off of him, though I didn't want to leave his warmth. I stood up and extended my hand to him to help him up. He grabbed it gently and allowed me to hoist him up off the floor. He grinned his crooked smile at me before going into the bathroom for a shower and to get ready for bed.

I wandered out of his room and down the stairs to the kitchen for a bite to eat. I really did need to eat a little bit more than my usaul apples and yogurt. I wasn't really very hungry for anything else though, so I went into the fridge and grabbed a cold green apple and sat at the little island in the kitchen munching on it. It tasted very sweet, sweeter than usual. I savored in the taste and closed my eyes for a moment in response.

I could hear someone else coming down the stairs, but I didn't know who. I turned around to see none other than Tanya standing there, looking uncomfortable and nervous.

Aww, she was shy!

She was like Rosalie in her own way, how Rosalie seemed kind of stubborn and put-out but was really just a tad shy of people and used threats as a way to hide her shyness. They were very alike in that respect. I patted the stool next to me, inviting her to sit down. Her eyes lit up and a could see a smile tugging at her lips. She came to sit next to me, grabbing a banana from the basket in front of us and munching on it as well. For a few moments there was a peaceful silence.

Tanya was halfway through her banana before she spoke.

"I am sorry for what happened earlier; I didn't realize it would cause so much trouble." she told me, bowing her head slightly. I knew she was truly sorry, but that didn't make up for her actions in Edward's room. I had to know.

"Why were you destroying Edward's room earlier? That now doesn't seem like the type of thing you would do." I asked softly. Her head bowed even more and I could feel her sorrow and regret pouring out of her.

When she looked back up to answer me she was crying. "I-..I...wanted...Edward...t-..to...see...tha-..that...I...really...d-..do...c-..c-..care...about..hi-..him,an-..and...that..I-..I... could...do...greater...for...hi-..him...and...I-..I...was..ju-...just...s-..so...mad...that...I-..I...didn't...even...stop..t-..to...think..ah-..about...you." she began to sob. I leaned over and pulled her onto my lap while still sitting on the stool, and I held her to me. She layed her head on my shoulder and cried.

At one point Edward came downstairs, probably looking for me, and when he saw the scene I told him _Go. I'll be up when I can._ He nodded his head and cast a worried glance at the two of us one last time before he quietly retreated up the stairs.

I held onto the sobbing and shaking Tanya for an hour as she told me everything that had been going wrong in her life, about her obsession with Edward and how her life had gone. Her story was pretty sad, but yet most of it was just the normal problems of the average teenaged girl. It took her a while for the sobbing to subside. When it did, finally, she was still pouring tear after tear down her pale cheeks.

I hugged her softly, trying to let her know silently that I was there for her. It made me feel so much like a parent right then and there. For some reason I could feel a motherly instinct taking over me. I knew I had to protect Tanya, from any danger that came her way. I softly tucked her hair behind her ears, and made her lean back so I could look into her pale blue eyes.

"Tanya, this is the way life works. You're going to have to fight everything it throws at you. But that doesn't mean you have to fight it alone. I'm here for you Tanya, whenever you need me or need to talk about any little thing that pops into your head, I'll be here for you. Okay?" I told her softly. She nodded her head and whispered "Thank you." to me before she got down and began leaving the room.

Before she started to ascend the stairs however, she looked back at me and said "Goodnight Bella, and thank you again. I just hope you don't get tired of talking to me every other hour." she told me, grinning sheepishly. I shook my head lightly at her.

"Not at all, as I said, I'm here when you need me. If you can't find me then ask Alice or Edward where I am, and they'll either tell you where I'm at so you can come to me or I'll come to you. Now go to sleep, you need it more than I do." I told her softly. There was that motherly hint to my voice again. She smiled at me and practically skipped up the steps and into Alice's room where all the girls were sleeping. I chuckled quietly and discarded the remains of my apple out the back door for the animlas before quietly heading up the stairs to Edward's room.

When I got there he was sitting on his bed in his pajamas reading a book silently. He didn't notice my entrance. I took that as my que to get ready for bed as well. I silently stalked over to my bag and pulled out my pajama pants before slinking into the bathroom and shutting the door unnoticed. I quickly changed and brushed my teeth with my fingers before creeping back out to join Edward. He was still reading, and still hadn't noticed me. I put my jeans in my bag and stood there, watching him.

His thoughts didn't portray any notice of what was going on around him; he was too enthralled by his book. I crept to the end of his bed and sat on the beam of wood there, watching my Edward concentrate on a silly little book.

After about ten minutes of this Edward sighed and closed his book, setting it on the bed-side table next to him, totally unaware of my presence. When he saw me he'd probably have a heart-attack. My mouth twitched into a light grin as I watched his frustrated features. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed, before looking up and noticing me. At his eyes making contact with mine his lips broke into the most beautiful smile.

My lips automatically did the same thing. I crawled up his bed to ley beside him and layed my head on his soft, warm chest. I was so comfy there. It took me a while to realize that I had fallen asleep. The only thing that made me notice that was that I began to dream.

_I was somewhere warm, though it was misty again and difficult to see. All of my dreams began this way. I took a deep breathe and could, again, smell the forest in my hometown of Forks, Washington. I began to walk foward confidently, knowing I wouldn't hit and trees or fall on any rocks. As I continued to walk I noticed the fog lightening up. This made me smile a bit and I stopped to absord my surroundings._

_I was standing next to a small lake, hidden in the woods and unknown by humans, since the lake was covered overhead by trees bent across in. I could see moonlight filtering in through the slight gaps in the trees._

_The water had a silvery tone to it, looking like it was poured from the purest of sources. I found myself wanting to be nearer it. I sat down next to the water's edge and could feel the energy it gave me. The water of the Earth, pure and untouched by humans. I dipped my finger into the cool liquid and felt the power it gave me, the enrgy and will to do whatever I needed to do. I put the finger that was still covered in the silver substance into my mouth and suckd the liquid off of it._

_It gave me incredible energy and awareness. It boosted every part of me. Including my telepathic sense. I could sense the need to protect my family, and was soon standing in front of them, guarding them from whatever was coming. Whatever it was, I knew I'd always be able to protect them. Always._

My dream continued to replay itself over and over, not changing even slightly. I had memorized the dream by the time I woke up,which was bright and early. 5:00 am is what Edward's clock read. I felt completely refreshed.

I was suddenly aware that someone was downstairs in the kitchen, so I smoothly untangled myself from Edward's hold without waking him and crept noiselessly down the hall and onto the main floor. I peeked around the corner into the kitchen and saw Esme in there preparing breakfast for everybody. I had to smile at her motherly instincts and care.

I walked out from behind the wall I was hiding behind and entered the kitchen.

"Anything I can help with Esme?" I asked her concerned. She really shouldn't be doing all this work by herself.

"No, no, Bella dear, I'll manage." she told me. I ignored her and helped her out anyways, and while I could sense she wanted to do all of it like all mothers do, I could still see she was grateful. We managed to finish just as some of the others were coming downstairs. The girls all came first, dressed and ready for the day. Esme and I set out plates full of food for Alice, Irina, Kate, Rosalie, and Tanya, smilingy cheerily at me. As we were finishing setting out their food the boys all came down. Emmett, Garrett, Jasper, Laurent, and with Edward bringing up the rear.

Once everybody but Esme and I had plates set in front of them and were digging in and chatting, I grabbed a blueberry muffin and began to nibble on it. Carlisle came down then, saying a 'good morning' to everybody and grabbing a muffin like me after kissing Esme on the cheek. He left out the front door, obviously running a little behind. Carmen and Eleazer didn't seem to be up yet.

After about ten minutes, everybody had finished and was getting up to leave. Esme and I waved farewell to everybody and Edward came to give me a goodbye kiss, since I couldn't go to school with Charlie looking for me. When everybody was out the door I gathered up all the dishes and began to wash them while Esme went upstairs to start straightening up the rooms.

I finished with washing the dishes in no time at all and put them away neatly before going upstairs to help Esme. I found her in Alice's room, cleaning up the girls' mess and straightening it up for when they got home.

The Denali's have decided to move in with us you know." Esme told me, still cleaning. I smiled a little and helped her out, since the girls had really made a huge mess.

"I'm glad, it'll be great to have some more people to call my family." I told her. She turned to me, beaming proudly.

"I'm glad you consider us your family Bella; I already think of you as a daughter." she said.

I smiled at that. I only had one question, but I was too afraid to ask it.

Esme and I continued to clean while I pondered over asking my question. When we finished with Alice's room we went to Emmett's room where all the boys except Edward had been sleeping for the night and saw it to be relatively clean. I laughed meantally at that, since most boys were so sloppy. You'd expect these boys to be too. We finished up the boys' room quickly and went back downstairs for some coffee and to relax for a bit.

"Esme?" I asked timidly. I was kind of worried, to put it lightly. This was one of those question for me that I didn't want to be rejected from.

"What is it honey?" she asked me worriedly, setting her cup of coffee down. I took a deep breathe and asked her the simple question I'd been worrying about all morning.

"Can...Can I call you Mom?" I asked her, the hope and fear mingling in my voice. I suddenly felt like a little kid again, wanting a mother to hide behind, when as a child I had none.

"Oh sweetie" Esme breathed, pulling me into one of her soft hugs. She smoothed down my hair over and over, calming me. I didn't cry, though I almost felt a need to. Esme pulled back to look at me and said, "You know I already consider you a daughter. And I would love to have another child." she told me, kissing me on my forehead. I smiled, and hugged her yet again.

Esme patted my back softly, and I thanked her yet again. She knew I never really had a mother of my own. I never truly knew my mother. So she knew how much this must've meant to me. I was guessing Alice had told everything to Esme while leaving out some of the finer details.

Esme released me and said she had some blueprints to work on. I told her I'd come back home just before the others would, that I was going for a run in the woods. Esme agreed without arguments. She knew I probably needed some air and alone time.

I went up to Edward's room to get changed. I wore my green shirt again today. After I was dressed and had brushed my hair, I went out onto Edward's balcony and surveyed the forest beyond. I held the stone of the Earth between my finger and thumb and thought of becoming a robin. Suddenly I was a tiny little robin sitting on Edward's balcony railing. I flew up into the air and over the tops of the trees, just wandering around and feeling the freedom of flight.

I decided to go and check on the others, so I flew towards the school. As I began to fly over the school I heard the bell ring and saw all the students pouring out of the classes and into the cafeteria before they began to head outside. They looked so different from up here. I chirped a laugh as I saw Jessica Stanley trip on a shoelace and almost topple over.

_Lunch_ I thought. _How convenient._ I flew down and landed in the tree that I usually sat under during lunch and waited for the Cullen's, Hale's, and Denali's to come outside and sit in a circle where they always did. And sure enough, two minutes later, they all came out in one huge group. They all sat down and began to talk and laugh about whatever had happened that day. I wished I could sit there to talk and laugh with them.

I smiled to myself when I got the idea to do just that, and flew over to them from my tree. Of coarse, nobody paid any attention to the little robin, so I was fine. I landed on Edward's shoulder and could feel him stiffen in suprise.

I quickly flew of his shoulder and onto Alice's, staring straight at his shocked face. I chirped another laugh.

_Hiya, how's your day going so far sweety?_ I asked him teasingly in my mind. I could see his smile break out and everybody looked at him questionably, even Alice, who's shoulder I was using as a momentary perch.

"Bella" was all he said and they all visibly relaxed and laughed together. I flew back over to Edward's shoulder and landed on it so that I was comfy. I was content, sitting on Edward's shoulder and watching the others talk. They didn't talk to me since that would seem odd to anyone else, but they did glance my way frequently. When the bell signaling the end of lunch rang the others groaned and all turned to look at me. I winked at them and told them all at the same time _I'll be around. So if a fly starts buzzing around your head don't swat at it._ They all laughed and got up to leave.

I nibbled quickly on Edward's ear before flying off towards my tree. I perched on the top branch and watched Edward and the others head to their classes.

After a while I began to fly around the school, glancing in various windows as I did. I stopped outside a window every time I saw one of the Cullen's, Hale's, or Denali's. I saw Tanya was in Mister Harris' class and I would have been in there with her if it weren't for all this. I sighed to myself and flew into the cover of the trees before shifting into a fly as promised. I altered my vision though so I could see normally. I went in through the crack between the school's front doors and the floor and buzzed my way to Mister Harris' class.

I went underneath his door too and found he was, again, lecturing the class on something stupid. Typical. I flew as quietly as possible to the ceiling and to the back of the class where Tanya sat in the seat next to mine. I buzzed down onto her desk in front of her. She saw me immediately and raised her eyebrows at me. I went down onto the floor next to her desk and transformed into a little helpless looking kitten.

I was gray with white stripes and the most adorable face. I didn't meow, but instead raised my paw and waved at her. I made sure I was out of sight of Mike and his buddies before I had transformed. It'd be a little weird if they saw me.

When class was starting to end Tanya motioned towards her backpack with a questioning look on her face. She must've seen the questioning look on mine before she whispered "Gym". I nodded my head at her and climbed into her backpack with my little paws just before the bell rang. When it did she tried to make sure her backpack got hit as little as possible. I thanked her for that. I reached my mind out to Edward and could hear him wondering what his class would be doing.

He walked into the Fitness room and saw they were walking the track today with Gym class and that they too were to meet in the Gym. I mentally cheered for joy.

I telepathically told this to Tanya and she said _Alright _and nodded her head. When we reached the gym she went over next to Alice to change. I snuck out of Tanya's backpack and hid under Alice's shirt while everyone filed out into the gym. When the last person was gone I heard the coach opening the back doors of the Gym so the class could walk out to the track. The teachers were all three going to stay inside to "finish grading some work" as they put it. Though everyone knew they'd be in the staff room eating and talking. As people began to go outside I peered out of the girl's locker rooms and saw Tanya talking to Alice, Edward, and Emmett.

Tanya was telling them where I was and I saw Edward's head snap up in my direction immediately. I grinned at him and saw him smile back. The teachers were already gone and all the students had filed out by now, glad for the fresh air and lack of work required. Edward jogged over to me and picked me, cradling my kitten-form to his chest. I purred against him and he carried me like I was the most fragile thing outside towards the track with the others. The girls were 'aww'ing over my cuteness and Emmett was making jokes about, though I knew he still thought I was adorable. What a teddybear.

Whenever some people came up to ask about the kitten in their arms they just said they found it by the school doors and wouldn't leave it there. Everybody just shrugged their shoulders at it and went to jog. The girls, however, would 'aww' and pet me, even Lauren Mallory and her cronies. They were playing it up for Edward. But I didn't care at the moment. I had to keep up the pretence of a poor little lost kitten.

The four of them constantly passed me around to eachother, tickling me and when nobody but us was around they would talk to me as Bella again. I liked that. When Edward was holding me and the teachers were on their way out to call us back him I told him to stop and put me down for a moment. He set me down on the grass and I rolled in a bit of dirt and got some grass and leaves on me, then shook most of it off so it looked like I had been covered and found by someone, namely Edward. This should get me by the teachers without question.

Edward picked me back up after I made sure I looked lost and somewhat homeless, then I tilted my paw a little and held my innocent kitten face, meowing softly every so often. When the teachers began ushering us back in they all stopped us to ask why we had a kitten. I meowed again.

"Well, sir, I found the kitten by the bushes and stuff over there by the edge of the track near the woods. Of coarse little Alice here wouldn't let me leave it there, so I picked it up and kept it with me." Edward told them, or really lied to them, smoothly. They looked completely convinced since Alice proved the point by taking me from Edward and stroking my gently; I meowed and purred at Alice in an innocent way.

The coaches took the bait and allowed me inside. Alice thanked them and carried me to the locker rooms, keeping up the pretense. After she and Tanya were changed, they grabbed their stuff and met the guys back in the gym, still petting me. Alice passed me off to Edward, who immediately began stroking me, causing me to purr gently, though he heard it. When the final bell rang he and the others all met up by the cars and passed me around for show to the rest of the students. A few students came up asking to hold me as well. I didn't argue with any of them; it wasn't so bad.

I bared my teeth and growled when Newton came over to hold me. When he touched me I hissed and slashed out at him. He staggered back and yelled about us having a demon kitten.

After about ten minutes we piled into our three cars, five per car except for the Volvo which only had four, and took off. I was sitting in Edward's lap as he drove his Volvo home, with the passenger seat empty and Kate, Tanya, and Garrett in the back. I jumped off Edward's lap once we were driving through the woods and getting closer to his house. I sat in the passenger seat and touched my paw to my neck for a moment before the human Bella was sitting in the passenger seat. I smiled and said a real hi to everyone and they smiled back.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 12**

We went up the long and winding driveway that led to what I now thought of as home. Home. The thought made me smile. Charlie's house wasn't really home. This was where I belonged. When we pulled into the meadow with the beautiful white house in it we saw Esme on the front porch with her arms crossed and a light smile playing around on her lips. Edward parked in front of the porch and as he was shutting off the car Rosalie's BMW came around the corner and into sight, closely followed by the black truck.

Esme began to lightly tap her foot on the floor and I almost cracked up because of it. It reminded me of something a mother would do to a kid when the kid got home late with a lame explination.

Oh, wait. I told Esme I'd be home _before_ the rest of the family. Oops. She was probably wondering where I was.

Before Esme could scold me for that or anyone else for whatever they did, I apologized first. "I'm sorry mom, I forgot I was supposed to be home first. I went to check on them and ended up riding home with them. I'm sorry." I told her whole-heartedly. She looked like she might've been upset by it, or punished me for it, but she merely grinned and came foward to give me a hug.

"I just always worry when I don't know where one of my children are; you know that." She said, hugging me tightly. She pulled back to look me in the eye and said "Just keep in touch with me when you're gone so I don't go out of my mind with worry, okay?" she asked softly.

"Okay, I love you mom." I told her. She smiled and hugged me again.

"I love you too baby." She patted my back and then said "Now all of you go off and do whatever, just don't leave without telling me first." She warned, looking each one of us in the eye. Then she smiled in satisfaction and went inside and probably up to her study for a while as we all filed in.

"What was all that about?" Edward asked me, curiously raising an eyebrow.

I shrugged. "I told her I would be home before you guys got here, so she was just worried." I told him.

He shook his head. "Not that, I understood that part. Why did you call her mom though?" he asked me. Realization dawned on me and I laughed.

Edward didn't seem to see what was so funny, so I explained. "Earlier today I asked Esme if she could be my mom; the one I never had. Apparently she took it more to heart than I thought she would." I told him, glancing up at the ceiling in the direction of Esme's study with a serene expression on my face.

After a moment of intense thought over Esme and I's conversation from earlier, I sighed and grabbed Edward's hand, leading him upstairs. We could hear what sounded like the boys playing X-Box in Emmett's room and yelling at the TV,and we could here lots of giggling and talking coming from Alice's room as we went by. Right now I just needed some peace and quiet with my soul mate, away from all the yelling and giggling of the rest of the family. As soon as we entered Edward's room I could feel a wave of calm wash over me.

I dropped his hand and ran over to the bed, jumping up and flopping down into it. I made a huffing sound when I hit the bed, but that didn't matter. The bed was very soft, and I could feel myself relaxing instantly. I felt the presence of Edward before I could feel the difference in the bed from him climbing onto it.

He crawled across the bed and laid down at my side, arms and legs spread out and relaxing, just like me. We stayed that way for a while, neither of us talking or moving. The only sounds to be heard from this room was our near-silent breathing and steady heartbeats.

As I laid there I was in deep thought about Edward. I felt a need to be closer to him today. He seemed to love my animal side, the side of me that turned into the kitten and the wolf. That's when the idea struck me. I could take Edward for a ride into the forest. It would be a perfect way to bond with eachother, and it would be really fun. I knew Edward liked speed anyways, so he should like this too.

I rolled over so I was laying on my side with my head propped up on my hand facing Edward, who had closed his eyes with a light smile on his lips. _He has the cutest smile in the world_, I thought. I rolled over again, slowly this time, so that I was laying on top of him, simply resting on top of his strong, warm body.

I slowly but surely wrapped my arms around his neck, tangling them lightly in his soft hair and playing with the ends of it; twisting it round and round my forefinger. Edward slowly opened his eyes, as if just waking up, though I knew he was never asleep. That cute little smile stayed put on his sweet lips, and I couldn't resist any longer. I slowly leaned myself in, closing my eyes as I did so.

His soft lips met mine halfway and I kissed him with the sweetest of kisses. He lightly kissed me back, and put his arms around my waist loosely. I kissed him a few times like that before I leaned up and kissed his nose, before pulling back and smiling at him. He smiled back lightly and sat up.

"Would you like to go for a run with me in the woods? Meet the real animal side of Bella?" I asked him, half-teasing and smirking. His eyes lit up and he nodded his head once at me before jumping up off the bed and pulling me off with him.

_Mom, Edward and I are going for a run in the woods for a while; I want to show him some of my animal forms. We'll be back later, if that's okay?_ I informed and asked her, just to be on the safe side. She agreed saying we could come back when we felt like it. I grabbed Edward's large hand in my tiny one and pulled him to his balcony doors, which I opened quickly.

We stepped out onto the balcony, hand in hand. I leaned against the railing for a moment, smelling the sweet air. This would be the last sunny day for a while now. Tomorrow morning all the clouds would move back in. I was glad I would get to spend this time with my soul mate.

I released Edward's hand for a moment and stepped back from him, before clutching my stone of the Earth between my fingertips and thinking to it _The wings of the most beautiful bird, to fly and carry my soul mate with me._ As I thought this, I felt wings spread out from my back.

I spread my wings out as far as they would go so I could see them. They were wings of every color in the world, In various patterns and shapes and sizes, making it seem random, yet they all fit together harmoniously. The same wings, I noticed, I had yesterday. I guess there were my supposed Soul Wings.

I stepped up onto the railing of the balcony and stretched my wings to catch the sun for a moment, and noticing it made them sparkle slightly and appear shiny. I then coiled my legs in preperation to spring and saw Edward wore a worried expression. I winked at him before launching myself off of the balcony and into the open air. It felt great to fly, to be free of most of the gravity the ground held.

I looked down at Edward and saw he was leaning on the balcony railing and smiling brightly. He was watching me with the most lovely expression on his face. I turned my face away and flew upwards to the top of a tall tree at the edge of the forest and perched on the top branch with my wings folded behind me; watching him.

He seemed to sense my stare and glanced up. I smiled at him. I loved how my ability gave me the option to zoom my eyesight in and out, like a camera. One moment I see him oh so far away, the next he looks like he's right in front of me. I loved it.

I swooped down from the top of my tree and landed on the balcony right in front of him. I smiled lightly at him.

I jumped back up into the bright sunshine and did some flips and spins, just because I felt like it. I felt so free, full of the bright sunshine that shone on my face. I laughed loudly and yelled "Weee!" As I flew through the air.

Of coarse my shouts of glee caught the attention of the girls. They, once again, came rushing out on the balcony and pointed at my flying form with awe. Alice called the boys up from their room so they could see my wings as well. The boys, being _so_ mature hooted and hollered.

I laughed again, swooping around and diving down in a spiral towards the ground. I pulled up just early enough to make the slide and fly parralel to the ground, an inch above.

I went back up into the air and stopped in front of everyone standing on Alice's balcony. I stood in mid-air as if it were solid ground. I then dramatically bowed deeply, waving my arm as I did. They all started cracking up. I smiled in victory and flew over to Edward's balcony.

I offered him my hand. He didn't seem unsure at all; he trusted me with his life. He grasped my hand firmly in his and stepped onto the railing. I released his hand and flew behind him, easily picking him up under his shouldrs and carrying him. He didn't weigh hardly anything. Not to me anyways.

I swooped over the tops of the first trees and then much deeper into the woods. Edward seemed to be enjoying the flight as much as I was. I could feel his heartbeat surging through my fingertips. I coasted over the treetops for a while, enjoying the flight and sunshine playing in Edward's hair with the breeze. After a few minutes I saw a cleared patch of trees where a meadow stood.

I drifted slowly downward until Edward's feet touched the ground. I allowed my wings to recede back into my shoulder blades and Edward turned around to face me. I gazed deeply into his eyes and unknowingly wound my arms around his neck. It was automatic now.

He in return wound his arms around me and buried his nose into my hair, breathing in my scent. I kept my arms around him as he kept his around me, simply breathing in the sweet smell of my hair. He pulled back slightly and I saw his eyes darken visibly. Not by much, but it was enough for me to notice. I knew what he was thinking, and I didn't hesitate.

I crashed my lips roughly onto his and he kissed me back with a new fervor; one I hadn't seen in Edward before. I kissed back equally, and soon we were in the grass with Edward on top. He kept kissing and kissing me. I made sure my arms were tight around his neck and I had by legs wrapped around his. He kept me pinned down and kept his arms securely around my waist. He kissed me deeply and fervishly.

I could feel the heat forming between us, the need for one another. But we wouldn't do that now. Though that doesn't mean we wouldn't kiss for a while... like an hour.

After a while our fervers were extinguished and he peppered my face softly with light kisses, trailing down my face and neck.

He finally got up and held out his hand for me to take. He helped me up and didn't release my hand. We set out into the trees, not very dark since the sunlight found patcheds of open treetops to stream down through. We walked hand-in-hand peacefully through the woods. I began to hear with my extra-sensitive ears the sound of far-off heavy footfalls, coming our way. I listened hard and sighed in relief. It was just some members off the pack, out on their daily patrols. I could hear Seth, Jacob, and Sarah running nearer to us. I dropped Edward's hand with a gentle squeeze and stepped back.

As quick as a flash I grabbed my stone between my fingertips and was thinking about my wolf form, and in no time at all I was the gorgeous white and russet colored wolf I had been once before. Edward's eyes went over my wolf form, taking in all the details that he hadn't seen in the dark last night. He came over to stand beside my and scratch me behind my russet-tipped ears and I hummed contentedly. That was, of coarse, before I remembered that Seth, Jacob, and Sarah were close by. I quickly told Edward this but he shrugged it off. It lit me up inside suddenly; he trusted me with his life so easily.

When I could hear Seth coming up with Jacob and Sarah right behind him I said aloud "Hey guys" and I heard Seth skitter to a stop in surprise. I guess he hadn't expected to find something out here that could hear him so easily, when a human wouldn't notice him.

I could feel his hesitation, but in his mind I heard him say _Is that you Bella?_

_Yuppers _I answered, _the one and only. _I said, smirking slightly. Seth came walking around the corner, only to stop when he saw Edward there. I could here him call to Jacob, who came around the corner a second later with Sarah on his tail. He curiously glanced back and forth between Edward and I before realization struck and he told the others about Edward being my imprintee. How he figured that one out I'm not sure, but he hit right on the dot. Maybe it's a pack leader thing...

_What's up Bells? Any problems?_ Jacob asked me concernedly. I shook my head at his worries. Not every day had to be full of problems.

"No, I'm just spending the rest of the day with Edward before the cloud and rain sets in." I told him. I could feel the shock in their heads at my speaking aloud but they quickly covered it up. Edward didn't notice any change in them; he hardly even glanced at them. He only had eyes for me. I could see Sarah noticing this at the same time I did. I could see the smirk on her lips before she caught my glance. I nodded to her, knowing what she was thinking and she told Jacob that they needed to get on with their patrols. He agreed and they set off with a faint farewell; except Seth. He was loud and jumpy. I actually laughed at him for that.

Funny kid.

I turned my large head towards Edward, who was staring at me. He didn't looked shocked, scared, suprised; none of it. He simply looked happy, and by that look in his eye I knew he was thinking he loved me. And sure enough, two seconds later, he said "I love you." I smiled my wolfy smile and told him aloud "As I love you."

I got down on my knees to give him a chance to climb up and set out through the woods at a steady pace; though it wasn't as fast as I would like. I jumped over fallen trees and around boulders; up and down hills. Edward seemed to be enjoying himself as much as I was.

He laughed and said "Is this all you've got? C'mon Bells, let's see some real speed!" he challenged. Apparently he wanted to see my limits. This oughta be fun.

I laughed as well and said "You want speed? Hang on tight Edward!" And I zoomed off. Edward was having difficulty hanging on at first,then he relaxed and enjoyed it.

I loved the speed of it; the wind ruffling through my fur, Edward on my back, laughing and holding onto me. I didn't know where exactly I was running to; I just was. After a good ten minutes of running, my sharp nose picked up a new smell. Blood. Uh-oh.

My muscles tensed up, and apparently Edward noticed because the laughing stopped and he went quiet. He bent low on me to give me more speed and flexibility in case I needed it.

We jumped through the brackens and over the rocks and past the trees; whizzing by at dangerous speeds. This was about my fastest in the woods with all this stuff slowing me down. Edward himself was no burden, but I was worried for his safety. I kept all my senses open and searched out at every lifeform. I could hear all the animals around me; perfectly at ease. Maybe it wasn't so bad after all. Then I could sense something different.

I sniffed in deeply, and what I smelled wasn't animal at all; it was human. Human and blood mixed together is never a good sign. I leaped foward at great distances; one leap after another. This sped me up, though with my sharp ears I could hear the faint _thump _every time I did. Up ahead I could see some light filtering through the trees. There was a huge concentration of it not too far ahead. The closer I got to the concentrated light, the more I could smell the blood. I could sense the animals' worry. Animals really were quite intelligent; just shy and secretive to humans.

I crept silently to the edge of the clearing and saw a beautiful meadow, full of wildflowers of every color, shape, and size. The grass sawyed softly in the warm breeze and the sun cast a glow around the whole place. It was quite a sight. It would've been perfect, except for the object sitting in the middle of the meadow. Or should I say person.

In the dead center of the meadow was a little girl; she looked about 6 years old. She had brown hair up into a pony-tail high on her head; it went all the way to the middle of her back. She was wearing some light blue capris and a light brown t-shirt. She looked so innocent, and so young. She was sitting with her knees in her chest. Her arms were wrapped around her legs with her head bowed down. She was crying, I realized. Thats when I noticed that she had bruises everywhere on her; bruises and cuts.

I bent down low and told Edward mentally _Climb off and stay here; don't let her see you until I tell you,okay? I'm going to try and gain her trust first._ I told him. He nodded his head and clambored off.

I put my large paw to my neck where the stone was imbedded into me now and turned into a small white rabbit. I looked a bit like lecio, except for the russet tipped ears and paws I had. I turned my head back towards Edward; a final warning to stay put. He nodded and motioned toward the little girl in the meadow. I sighed quietly and hopped out to see her.

I had no hesitaion; I went straight up to her. When I first touched her with one of my whiskers she shreiked a bit and turned to me in alarm, before she calmed down.

"Oh you're just as little bunny. Hi there." she said to me, reaching her hand out to stroke me. I remembered how all little kids talked to animals like they were another person; as if they would listen and understand and try to help. And in truth; they did. Adults just didn't believe it. The little girl put her legs down and folded them so she was sitting cross-legged. She gently picked me up and sat me in her lap carefully. She then continued to stroke me. We sat that way for a while, and I was thankful to find Edward's mind very patient as he secretly watched us from between the bushes.

After a while, the little girl began to hum. It was a very simple song, but it seemed to mean something to her. She seemed... content. There was no other word for it.

"You know," she said, stopping her humming," I've never had a pet before; daddy won't allow it. He says pets are bad for me, just like I am for him. That's why he punishes me. Says I look too much like my mom. But I don't know what I keep doing wrong. Do you?" she asked me curiously. I liked her voice; it was so innocent and pure. At the moment it held nothing but curiousity, as if she expected me to answer her. I would; but not yet.

She waited a moment, as if waiting for me to talk. After that short moment she sighed and said "Yeah, I don't get it either. He always says I'm bad and keep doing the wrong thing, but I only do what he tells me to do. I always try not to scream or cry when he hits me and stuff; that only makes it worse. I know he's probably out looking for me with that knife of his again. I sure hope he never finds me. It's much better in here than back there." she told me matter-of-factly, jerking her thumb to the left of her, on the opposite side of the meadow Edward was sitting in.

I felt so sorry and sad for the child; she was going through the same thing I had been. Edward was sitting and listening to the whole thing, and his sorrow mingled with my own. I wanted to know about her, but I couldn't ask her without her freaking out. I told Edward to come out slowly and to act a little lost;or at least to say he become friends with her so she'll talk and not be frightened. I truly cared for this little girl. _Motherly instinct again_ I thought ruefully.

Edward came out of the dense cover of the trees; looking around as if in awe for a moment before his eyes rested on the little girl. She stiffened and tensed; holding me to her a little tightly for a normal rabbit's comfort. Luckily I had overly strong bones as well.

Edward walked over to her at a normal pace and sat down in front of her carefully, looking at her with curious eyes for a moment before he smiled crookedly and said "Hello, what's your name?" I almost laughed at the simplicity of the sentence; how childlike it sounded. But it was all he could say right now.

The little girl looked a little shy before saying "Lizzy"

Edward stuck out his hand and said "I'm Edward." Lizzy shook his hand with her tiny one. She looked less nervous, but she still seemed unsure.

"That's a cool bunny you've got there; is she yours?" he asked her pleasantly, mingling curiosity and awe into his voice. He was a very good actor if need-be.

"No, she's not. She came hopping over to me earlier and I picked her up." she stated, grinning. Edward grinned back.

"I heard you talking earlier, that's why I waited to come out here. I didn't want to intrude." he sounded apologetic, like he was to blame.

"It's okay, I was just talking to this bunny here. You know they listen to what you say? They're like fairy godmothers if you find the right one. I don't think this one is, but I wanted to talk to her all the same. She's a pretty bunny. You wanna pet her?" she asked. She was a random and fast-thinking little child; switching from one subject to the next.

"Sure." Edward said, smiling at her. She smiled back with her milky-white teeth and he scratched my ears gently. "Pretty bunny" he muttered quietly, though he knew I'd hear it. I layed my ears foward so he knew I heard and he smiled a little. He then sat back and stared at the little girl, who scratched my ears in his place.

"So you heard what I was telling this here bunny then?" she asked quietly. I perked my ears up a little. That's when I noticed how she didn't talk like her age. She sounded more like she was 12 than 6 with her vocabulary skills. I began to wonder, but I knew the answer was no. Only one on Earth at a time. I continued to listen to their conversation,still a seemingly helpless bunny.

"Yes...yes I did. Do you want to talk about it? I know it helps to say things to people." he said quietly. Tears sprang into her eys and began to roll down her cheeks, yet she nodded her head at him; not yet speaking. After a moment or two she began to talk.

"I live with my dad in an old house off on Maple Road. A long way away from here. Ever since my mom left me as a toddler my dad has hated me, but he never gave me up. Always said I was too good of an anger tool. I hated when he'd hit me and kick me and cut me and hurt me... but I couldn't do anything about it. Who beilieves little kids anymore? So I suffered until up to now. I'm half-afraid he'll come walking out of those trees over there with his knife in his hand; looking for me.

"Today though, I'd had enough, and I got the chance to run. Dad had just gotten through with hitting me, when he told me to go to my room. I got halfway up the stairs before the doorbell rang. It was some friend of his. Of coarse whenever someone else was around he would be the coolest guy ever. The best dad. But as soon as that door closed with them gone it was horrible. I knew this would be my only chance, so I went back down the steps and out the back door and into the woods."

As I listened to her story I recalled how familiar it sounded. She was a lot like me, or how I am when Charlie's around.

"I've been running in the woods since about nine this morning, so a long time. I'm tired and hungry and lost, but I know I'm not alone with him, so this isn't so terrible." she said. She seemed done, or as done as a person can be. Edward reached out to hug the crying little girl. She was shaking; truly terrified. I leaned in close to her stomach, trying to give her calm and hope so she'd feel better.

After a few minutes she'd calmed down and was whiping her tears away. Edward waited for her, and she looked almost embarrased for breaking down like that in front of him. I could tell it didn't bother him. I wondered if I should allow my appearance to be known. I liked this Lizzy girl, she was so sweet and innocent and honest. I knew I couldn't let her go back to that wicked man. I knew I had to let my presence be known. So I hopped off of her lap and stood a slight distance away from her,staring at her with my intelligent eyes. She stared right back for a moment.

I then spoke to her aloud. "You know Lizzy, life isn't always fair, but I understand what you're going through, and it's not right. I will give you the option now rather than later, and I'm sure Esme would love to have her," I said in aside to Edward who nodded his head," so answer me this Lizzy. Do you want to go back to him, or do you want to come live with me and my new family? I had the same thing as you only a few days ago, but now I don't. It's your choice of coarse, but would you like to?" I asked her. I needed a dedicated answer. I had explained again and again to get my point through carefully.

She looked at me with bright and shining eyes before smiling widely and saying "Yes! Yes! Oh thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you sooooo much!" she said. She seemed over-joyed. I touched my tiny, furry little paw to my rabbit's neck and turned back into the teenager I truly was. Lizzy's mouth fell open for a moment before she recovered and bounded up, running over to me and hugging me nonstop. I hugged her back and smiled at her joy.

"I'm Bella by the way Lizzy." I told her. I told her that she wouldn't really have to worry about anything else anymore.

That statement might've been true, until I heard the sound of running footsteps coming nearer. I released Lizzy quickly and handed her to Edward so he could guard her as well. I touched my necklace again and this time transformed into a large white bear with russet tipped ears and paws.

I don't know exactly why I chose this, it just seemed fitting I guess. I listened as I heard that someone coming closer; it sounded like a man. He ran into the clearing, knife in hand, and spotted Lizzy hiding behind Edward. I was standing more off to the side, so he ignored me. He then spoke to Edward.

The strange man had short, brown hair and brown eyes. He had a skinny build to him and a bit of a mustache. He had a seemingly friendly face, yet there was something wrong with it. With a jolt I realized how much he looked like Charlie. _This must be Lizzy's father. Crap._ I thought.

"Hello there, thank you for finding my daughter for me. I've been looking everywhere for her." he said, trying to sound like a normal, worried parent. I kept a sharp tie to his mind to hear every thought that he had and saw the wickedness through my very eyes of what he'd done to her and was going to do. I was mad. I take it back, I wasn't just mad. I was livid. How dare he treat her that way? I began to shake slightly; my anger was too much already.

"This is your daughter? Then you must be the man who's been abusing her." Edward replied, a slight iciness to his tone. The other man's friendly face suddenly turned to one of anger and hate. Like an apple that looked yummy, then you suddenly noticed the little worm in it, making it sour. Yuck.

"You give me my daughter, boy, or you're going to regret for the last two minutes of your life." He threatened. Edward merely pushed Lizzy further behind him in response. The man known to be Lizzy's father began walking foward, step by step. Suddenly he broke into a quick run at Edward. I roared, enraged that he would dare go near my soul mate, and charged there as well. I got there within seconds; pleanty of time.

I put my back to Edward and Lizzy and roared ferociously at the man, who immediately stopped. I took one sure step towards him, and he took a frightened step back. I took another one foward. Another step back. Fowards. Back. Foward. Back. This went on and on until the man was near the edge of the meadow. I stopped and growled at him; showing him my teeth. He seemed a little shaken at this alone.

I roared one more time; right in his face as I swept up in front of him in the blink of an eye. He nearly had a heart attack and sprinted off as fast as his legs would carry him. I'd never allow harm to come to my family.

I turned back around to look at Lizzy and Edward, in the middle of the meadow. Edward looked worried about Lizzy, glancing down at her. Lizzy looked shaken for a moment before our eyes connected and she began to smile. Her smile grew, as did Edward's, and she began to laugh. I ran back over to them and laughed too. I then touched my bear paw to my neck and changed into my spirit wolf; pure white again with the usual russet tipped ears and paws, along with the tail. I bent down and allowed Edward to lift Lizzy onto my back and then for him to climb on behind her.

Edward sat high up on my back with Lizzy in front of him. She was clutching my fur tightly with excitement; eyes shining and heart pounding. I stood back up before I changed my mind. I needed to get home fast, and to go fast would mean I needed to fly. Luckily, Edward and Lizzy were in just the right spot for this, so I transformed yet again.

I became a snow-white pegasis, with russet tipped ears, legs, tail, and wings. I leaned back on my haunches and told Edward to hang on to Lizzy, before I launched myself into the air like a rocket. We easily cleared the tops of the trees. When the launch speed began to slow I opened my gorgeous wings and took flight.

I was very swift and watchful; being careful of anything esle in the sky or of getting to close to any neighborhoods with an occassional passerby accidentally seeing me. That'd be bad. So I stayed over the forest, flying high and low and doing an occasional spin. I soared smoothly through the air and tried not to jostle Lizzy too much.

I flew as fast as my great wings would carry Edward, Lizzy, and me. In the distance I was vaguely able to make out the Quileute reservasion. I was close then. Good. I swung to the left, and as I did I glanced below me through the trees. I saw three wolves trying to keep up with me. I laughed and spoke to them telepathically so they wouldn't worry.

_It's just me you guys; no need to get excited _I said, rolling my eyes mentally. I could hear Quil's silent relief and Clair's excitement about me being a pagasis flying over their heads. I laughed and told them farewell since I had pressing matters at hand, and started streaking through the sky at impossible speeds.

Edward was holding onto my back tightly while keeping an excited and gleeful Lizzy between his arms. Thats when he too could smell the blood. He leaned back slightly and glanced at her back before telling me _Her back is bleeding a little badly. The blood is going through her shirt. Looks like her dad got her with that knife. It's in a line down her back like yours. _He informed me.

This worried me. If she had that on her back too then she'd need to get it wrapped up as soon as possible and to be checked over for other injuries. I went as fast as I could towards the Cullen household, and before too much time had passed it was in sight. I pushed myself even faster towards it; anxious to get there. I let out a long, powerful call so the others would know of my arrival and help out. As predicted, Alice and the other teens were on her balcony, watching me get closer. Carlisle, Esme, Eleazer, and Carmen were all on the main floor in the kitchen, looking out the back door. One we cleared the trees I dived down towards the backyard and stopped just in front of the stone back porch.

I came to a complete stop and Edward climbed down quickly, pulling Lizzy with him, while I changed back to my human form. I picked Lizzy up (who now looked like her scars and bruises were really starting to take effect) and sprinted into the kitchen and living room and laid her on the couch in lightning speed. It was so fast the others hadn't seen me. Edward had though, and he pointed towards the living room and their eyes followed. Carlisle ran towards me at once.

He looked over her with his doctor's face on and a worried expression creasing his brows.

"We found her in a meadow; she ran from her father, who's a lot like Charlie. Carlisle, she's lost a lot of blood assuming the cut on her back and she's covered in bruises. We couldn't leave her. We were hoping she could stay with us." I told him in a rush as he inspected her. He gently rolled her over so he could see the blood oozing through her shirt.

"Go get my bag, please Bella." he calmly requested.

I was upstairs for his bag in a heartbeat and back down in equal time. He took out some of the things he needed and began to inspect her. He wrapped up her back and all her other cuts which he found on her legs and arms. She didn't have any fractures or breaks; merely bruises and cuts. She was lucky then.

After he was finished helping her he began to put his stuff back away. I helped her carefully sit up, but she seemed to feel better now that Carlisle had checked her over. I grabed her hand and led her into the vast kitchen, where Esme was already preparing a late lunch for her. And a large one by the looks of it. She sniffed the air appreciatively and smiled. She climbed up to sit in one of the tall island stools and sat there for a moment, looking around the brightly lit kitchen.

Whatever Esme was making her didn't take very long, because there was soon food sitting on a plate in front of Lizzy with a can of Pepsi. She munched it down quickly; apparently very hungry. She'd be well fed and well taken cared of around here. I smiled at the thought and felt another does of motherly instinct flow through me. I offered her my hand when she was done. She smiled, accepting mine in one of hers and Edward's in her other and allowing us to show her the house. We showed her every room except up to Alice's, since she'd probably spend time in there with the girls.

We knocked politely on Alice's door and heard the girls all slightly yell a 'come-in' as well as the guys who had apparently stayed in there. I opened the door to Alice's pink room and lead Lizzy inside. All the girls got up immediately and came over to greet Lizzy and talk to her. They loved her immediately.

I asked Lizzy if she'd be okay with staying in here with the others for a little while. She agreed happily; for she'd never had so many new friends before. I told her she could come into our room as soon as she wanted to and she said she'd come back in after a while.

Edward and I closed Alice's door and walked hand-in-hand down the nice hallway to Edward's room. We now had no real reason to hurry. He opened the door for me and we walked in slowly. He silently closed the door and came up behind me,wrapping his arms snugly around my waist and resting his chin on my shoulder. I put my arms over his and leaned into him slightly. He turned me around in his arms and I automatically wound my arms around his neck.

We stared into eachother's eyes for what seemed like eternity. Then, very slowly, he leaned into me; his forehead on mine. His eyes and mine slipped closed at the same exact time,and he leaned into me, kissing me softly on the lips. The kiss was sweet and soft at first, but soon our needs began to make themselves known. We began to kiss more fervantly and deepened the kiss. Edward backed me up as we kissed,until my legs hit the bed and he pushed me back onto it, crawling so that he was hovering over me.

He continued to kiss me and massage my tongue with his own. As he did I began to feel heat from the tips of my toes and spreading up my legs and past my knees. It felt like I was sitting next to a nice warm fire, and as the heat continued to consume me, the more I needed Edward. It was like I seriously couldn't get enough of him. It was pure bliss, no one to disturb us; nothing but me and Edward.

As suddenly as the fire had appeared, it receded. Slowly, but softly. Soon all that was left of it was a soft whisper of heat at the edge of my toes.

As the fire had receded, my need for Edward dimmed, and he kissed me much slower and softer, as if cherishing the feeling. I was too, every moment of the day that I saw him, I would cherish his beauty.

Edward kissing slowed and he began to pepper my face with them, ending on my nose as always. He knew that always made me smile. And I didn't dissapoint. I grinned at him and he grinned back. Edward rolled over so that he was next to me instead of on top of me, wrapping his arms around me and burying his face in my hair. I could tell he was smelling me, taking my scent in like I so often took in his. He was trying to be sneaky about it, but I still noticed.

We stayed laying on that bed, watching the light dance over the trees outside for some time as the sun sank lower in the sky. About an hour later, Lizzy came in looking a little bit flustered but extremely happy. When she saw me she grinned and skipped over to the bed, hopping up and sitting on the end of it with a cheerful "Hi Bella! Hi Edward!" I opened up my other arm to her and she crawled over and sat on my other side, leaning into my arm. Suddenly that motherly feeling took hold again and I held her close, rubbing her hair for a while as we all sat there in comfortable silence.

"Did you have fun with Alice and the girls?" I asked her, starting a conversation to break any tension she might have. I could feel her happiness though, and she smiled up at me.

"You bet! They're all so pretty and nice. I've never met girls as nice as them before, except for you Bella." she told me excitedly, and I laughed. She could be such an energetic child when she wanted to.

She stiffled a yawn, and apparently it was contagious, since Edward yawned too. I knew they were both tired. I wordlessly handed Edward some pajamas and pointed to the bathroom. He grinned a little at me, since he knew that I knew he was tired. I got some pajamas of mine out and pulled the fabric to tighten it just right so it would fit little Lizzy.

Lizzy changed as did I and we crawled into bed. Edward came out a moment later. He turned off the lights, and crawled into bed to sleep on the side that didn't have Lizzy. I cuddled into his arms and put my free arm around Lizzy. Sleep consumed us all quickly.

After a nice, relaxing sleep, I awoke as the sun was just coming above the tree tops. Edward began to stir too. Lizzy was already awake, watching the birds outside the windows. I stretched up luxuriously and sighed in contentment.

_Breakfast is ready darling! _Esme told me mentally. I smiled and told her we'd be right down.

I turned to Lizzy. "You hungry for breakfast Lizzy? Esme has some ready downstairs for you." I told her. Her eyes lit up and she jumped right out of bed and ran out the door. I giggled and layed back down in Edward's arms, since he hadn't really moved. I stared into his gorgeous green eyes and got lost in the completely. He leaned foward to kiss me softly. I kissed him back and grinned.

We got up and got dressed for the day just as Lizzy came in. She got changed and I sat back on the bed, thinking about the week's events. I realized how quickly everything had gone by.

I don't know where my mind kept getting so many ideas, but suddenly I had the inspiration to spend the day with my family. Not just Edward and Lizzy, but everyone. Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, Kate, Garrett, Irina, Laurent, Carmen, Eleazer, Tanya, Esme, Carlisle, Edward, and Lizzy. All of us. Then I suddenly got even more inspiration. We could take a nice long vacation for a couple weeks, the entire family. Somewhere with a lot of wildlife.

As well as my own personal excitement I could feel a looming danger, but I only sensed it when I thought of staying here for another week. That meant we probably needed to go somewhere far, and sometime in the next few days. With how completely rich the Cullen family is, I didn't see that as a problem. I thought of where a nice place to go would be, and the first thought that came to my mind for some reason was Spain.

As I thought this over I realized that was smart. Spain was full of wildlife, and we could go to a resort or beachhouse by the ocean and go swimming, we could horseback ride on the sand, we could go hiking, cliff diving, site-seeing. I thought of a place I'd once read about in Spain; private beach houses spread miles and miles apart next to the sandy waters of the ocean. And one of them was next to the ocean, but also next to some tall cliffs and surrounded by woods. It was perfect.

I thought out every part of my plan and told it all to Alice telepathically. Alice was ecstatic and agreed completely. I could hear her telling the girls about it through the wall with my sharp hearing and hear their approval. Next I told the boys downstairs, and they were excited immediately. Next I told Carlisle and Esme, and they said it was a splendid idea and that they would order tickets immediately. I told everyone to get packing so we could leave in two days. Plenty of time.

I told my plan telepathically to Edward and he nodded his head, traces of a smile beginning to grow on his face. I waved my hand in the air in front of me, shooing him off, and he got up to begin packing early and making sure nothing important was forgotten. I figured we could stay in Spain for a while, I just wasn't sure how long. Esme must've been calling into my mind and told me _We could stay there for a full month, maybe two. I know I don't want the kids missing up on school, but I'm sure they'll be fine._ I smiled internally at her motherly concern.

I told her in return _Thanks mom!_

Everyone began to commence packing, and Lizzy watched Edward pack with confusion written in his features.

"Esme says about a month, probably two there. Sound good hun?" I asked him. He turned around and I could see his smile had gotten bigger without him noticing.

"Sounds perfect. You had better get packing too. Though knowing Alice she'll probably just drag everyone out for an entire new wardrobe just for while we're there." he said, rolling his eyes a bit. Alice must have been just outside because she bounded in, her eyes shining, and begged "Can we? Can we? Please Please Please Bellaaa! She begged, jumping up and down in anticipation.

I sighed and said "Just don't go too overboard Alice." She squeeled very high pitchedly and ran out of the room, yelling at the girls to get ready to go shopping. Alice wanted everybody to go, and I couldn't argue, so I got up and Lizzy followed me looking confused.

"What are we doing?" she asked with the cutest look of confusion and concentration creasing her little brows. I smiled even bigger and told her as we began walking outside towards the cars.

"I've decided that we should all take a vacation together in Spain, starting in two days time. So Alice is taking everyone out shopping today and some time tomorrow for a new wardrobe for us to wear while we're there. We're going to be living in a huge beach house on the shores of the ocean and next to the woods, and some cliffs if you're interested in cliff diving." I told her smiling. I went on and explained.

"We're going to be there for about two months on an extended vacation and are going to do lots of fun things, like swimming, sand castles, surfing, cliff-diving, horseback riding, hiking, snorkeling, site-seeing, and we may occassionally go into the town nearby. It's going to be loads of fun, though in order to this we need a wardrobe that will suit our needs. Carlisle has already arranged our flights and is now calling Spain to set up preparations for our arrival at the beach house." I explained to her. Her face lit up everytime I said something and she continued to smile.

And I thought to myself, she is so cute.

We went downstairs where everybody was gathered as Alice divided up who was to be in what car. Emmett, Garrett, Laurent, Jasper, and Edward were going in Emmett's monstrous Jeep. Rosalie, Alice, Tanya, Kate, and Irina were going in Rosalie's BMW. Where as Carmen, Eleazer, Carlisle, Esme, and Lizzy were in the shiny silver Volvo. I didn't want to crowd anybody too much, so I told them I'd meet them there.

I waited until they had all pulled out.

I touched the stone around my neck and thought about me becoming an Eagle. Within moments I was flying up into the sky, Eagle wings and all. I soared over the trees and flew over our small little town. At a snap decision I decided to check on my old house, to see what happened to Charlie.

I veered to the right and flew down that familiar street towards my house, landing on a branch just behind the house. I could see Charlie in the kitchen with another girl about my age. They were just talking, but I could feel my feathers bristling. As I watched the girl said something and Charlie's expression turned to rage and he slapped her across the face. The slap was so strong that the girl fell to the floor with a red mark where Charlie's hand had connected with her face.

Suddenly I understood exactly what was going on. He adopted another teenager in my place, and she had to share the same fate as I once did. I could faintly see some bruises on her arms and legs. I turned myself into a small squirrel and ran into the back yard. The girl was going upstairs, probably to my old room. I scurried up the drainage pipe and into my old bedroom to hide underneath the bed. No sooner had I scurried under than she walked in and flopped down on the bed.

Being as quiet as I could, I transformed into a little white bunny rabbit. I hopped out from under the bed and hopped up next to the girl. I felt her shaking slightly, and I knew she was crying. I pressed myself up against her so she would notice me, so she picked me up and held me to her side, stroking my ears.

Very quietly I said to her "I'm sorry you have to go through this. It's my fault."

Her crying quieted as she glanced around her room saying "Who's there?" She actually sounded scared, but maybe that was just the tears.

Again, quietly, I said "I did. I used to be you, in a way. Though I ran where no one else was able to run. Do you want to be free of Charlie?" I asked her. She nodded her head and said yes, still stroking my ears. I realized she probably didn't know it was me, so I wriggled out of her arms and sat in front of her. She simply stared with red, puffy eyes.

While she stared, I mentally called to Esme.

_Mom, I know I've already brought someone new into the family, but would you mind one more teenager who needs to see some fun and sunshine? Please mom; she's stuck here with Charlie like I was, except I think he hurts her more, since I left and made him mad. Please mom!_ I begged her. I heard her voice in my head almost immediately.

_Of course sweety; anyone is welcome to the family. Will you bring her shopping with us? I'll tell Carlisle to get another ticket to Spain for her. Bring her with you to the Seattle South County Mall; that's where we're stopping first._

I sighed in relief and thanked her over and over, then I turned my attention back on the girl.

"Do you want another chance at a much better life with my family and I? I don't want you stuck here like I once was." I told her. As quiet as she was, I knew she'd make a great Cullen.

She stared at me in awe and then slowly nodded her head. "I'd love to get out of here. Please." she added.

I laughed quietly and hopped off the bed. I then turned back into my human self right in front of her. She looked utterly shocked and amazed. She also looked...relieved? I suppose I would've been too if I saw a bunny turn into a girl. She stood up from the bed to face me.

We were almost the exact same height, about the same age, except she had long blonde hair that shined, and had some dark gold highlights in them, but they looked good on her. She had a very nice form, maybe just a little too skinny, but Esme would fix that. I Leaned over and gave her a huge hug, whispering in her ear "Welcome to the Cullens."

She hugged me back, a little unsuringly, but she still hugged. I released her and climbed to the window which was already open. I jumped out and transformed into my white pegasis shape and hovered by her window.

"Get on, hurry!" I told her urgently. I could hear Charlie walking up the stairs. She apparently could too, because she hurried over and stepped onto the window sill. She swung one leg over my back and grabbed the thick, strong mane of shining white hair I had on my neck. "Hang on tight." I told her.

I zoomed into the air above the house just as Charlie came into my old room. I didn't hesitate to soar up into the clouds and out of sight. I flew top speed through the air towards Seattle. I knew it would take the others two hours to get there, so I headed towards the highway and followed the pull towards my family. Within ten minutes we were flying in the clouds above them, so I slowed down to match their speed.

_So what's your name? Mine's Bella._ I told her mentally. She responded in her mind as well, though she seemed unsure if I would hear her.

_Kara._ She told me. _I'm seventeen and Charlie adopted me about a week ago. He's been so horrible ever since I showed up. I thought I would die soon._

I easily felt her pain. It was only all too familiar. I decided that she might feel better if she was in the back of Rose's convertable with the other girls than in the air. I asked her if she wanted to go down to sit in the cars with the girls in the family and she agreed quickly.

I lowered us down out of the clouds and landed gently on the very back of Rosalie's car. They had apparently gotten the memo because the immediately made room for Kara. I leaned so she could slide into the seat and took of again, receiving a gracious thank you from Kara. I turned into my human from, except I kept the wings on my back.

I flew up further to Emmett's jeep and flew next to the boys. No one else was on the highway, so I was safe. They all glanced at me and smiled. Edward's smile was the biggest, and I could see some releif on his face. He must have been worried about me. I shouted over the wind so the biys could hear me "Can I join you guys?"

Emmett and Edward nodded, so I landed on top of the Jeep's bars and got rid of my wings. I then hopped down gently into the seat and onto Edward's lap. He didn't seem to mind. He put his arms around me the moment I landed and turned my head so he could kiss me sweetly. I could tell he had not only been worried about me, but he had missed me in the short hour I had been away from him. I didn't blame him; I had missed him too.

I kissed him back just as sweetly for a minute, then we broke apart grinning. I leaned back into his shoulder and got comfy for the hour drive left to Seattle. Emmett had whistled while we were kissing, and then the boys got back to talking. I just sat there cuddling with Edward. I decided to peek through Alice's eyes to follow the girls conversation. They were all chatting happily with Kara, and already she was smiling. Suddenly Esme's voice was in my head.

_Rosalie called to tell me Kara is fitting in good with the girls already. We're going to buy her wardrobe and Carlisle already has her plane ticket all set. Thank you for my new daughter Bella; I can't wait to meet her!_ I could feel Esme's excitement and anxiousness ready to bounce through the roof. I laughed aloud.

_That's awesome mom! You'll love her, I promise. I'll see you guys at the mall; we should be there in like ten minutes anyways._ She seemed reassured, so I let the link fade and curled up into Edward's chest, breathing in his intoxicating scent.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

We arrived at the South County mall at the same time and parked next to eachother in the back of the lot. Everybody filed out and I ran over to Kara to give her an unexpected hug. Suddenly it turned into a group hug of girls, and then the guys joined in around us while the adults laughed. Little Lizzy even joined in behind Emmett, even though she was small. everyone backed up and I let go of Kara so she could breathe a little.

She was actually smiling. She laughed free spirited and smelled the free Seattle air. All the girls linked arms with Kara and Lizzy in the middle, and we skipped to the mall. Out of the blue Alice started singing "Follow the yellow brick road" and we all joined in. We were singing and skipping and laughing and already having a good time. We disconnected arms once we got to the doors and waited for the others to catch up.

Once we made sure everybody was there we split up into groups. All the girls except Lizzy would go shooping in one group, and all the guys except Carlisle and Eleazer were in another group. Carmen and Esme were in a group with Lizzy and Carlisle and Eleazer were together. Everyone made sure they had cell phones and set out.

Esme, Carmen, and Lizzy started heading towards JC Penny, the boys went towards Hollister, the men went to Borders, and us girls all crowded into Victoria's Secret.

We went browsing along Victoria's Secret as Alice and Rosalie went into their zones. They seemed to know exactly what would look good on us and what was our colors and makeup types. We knew they were always right about shopping, so we went ahead and bought them. We already had five large bags to carry. Next we went to Aeropostal and came out with another six large bags.

Our next stop was Rave 21. We spent longer in there and came out with another seven large bags. Our arms were full. We decided to take the bags out to the car and come back in. After we dropped our bags into Rosalie's trunk, we went back in and went into the mall.

We then went to Deb and came out with about eight fair sized bags already; it was a good store. Then we went over to Hot Topic and then straight into Hollister. Out of all the stores we went to we made a full four trips to the car while we found the others had each only made two so far.

We then went around to get non-clotheslike things, like candy from Candy City, things from Bath&Body Works, and stuff from anywhere else we saw something we wanted. The Cullen's were so overly rich from Alice's knack of being able to tell the adults exactly how to win the lotteries and from Carlisle's medical career. This was like taking a penny from a normal adult.

By the end of the day we had everything we needed for our trip, including a lot of extra. All the stuff almost didn't fit in the car. We all climbed in and headed for home, going about 30 miles over the speed limit for once. This way it took us only an hour to get home.

The moment we got home I zoomed around and grabbed all the girls' bags and took them into Alice's room. Then I took the boys' bags and carried them into Emmett's room. I took the adults' stuff to Esme and Carlisle's room and then carried Lizzy's bags, and Lizzy, up to our room. We all knew we had tomorrow to pack, and that on Sunday morning we had to catch our plane at seven in the morning.

I went back downstairs, still carrying Lizzy who was giggling excitedly, and stood next to my family. I set Lizzy down and followed Esme into the kitchen to make dinner for everybody. We decided to make chicken and noodles with some french bread from the oven. It took us about half an hour to make it, but when it was done it smelled amazing. Esme suprisingly had extra chairs for the island and set them up around it. There were now ten chairs around the island, with eight chairs around the table. Plenty.

Everyone filed in and took a seat. I sat between Edward and Lizzy and we all ate, talking amongst eachother. Kara sat across the island from me with Alice on one side of her and Rosalie on the other. It was blissful; a true dinner with the family. After we finished I cleaned up while everyone went in the living room to get ready to watch a movie. The votes totalled to us girls winning our pick of the Princess Bride, which we knew the guys loved.

We settled down with Alice, Rosalie, and Kara all squished on the love seat, while Eleazer sat in one chair and Carlisle in the other. The guys all squished together onto the couch, except for Edward who layed on the floor with me. Lizzy was laying next to me with Tanya and Irina on her other side. Esme and Carmen were sitting on the floor next to Carlisle's chair. The living room was packed.

We settled down to watch the movie and laughed at every funny part. We hadn't seen this in forever! It was a lot of fun. The boys all quoted along with Inigo Montoya's trademark line every time he said it. The girls and I laughed so hard at that. At one point Emmett actually got up and said just like Count Rogen "Stop saying that!" We only laughed harder.

When the movie was finished with, we all headed up to our rooms for some sleep that we desperately needed.

I wasn't all that tired though. Somehow I felt like something was wrong. I slid out of bed carefully so I wouldn't wake Lizzy or Edward and went out to the balcony. I listened with my extra senses into the woods and could hear the sound of the wolves in panic. I didn't panic, but suddenly I got worried. That was my family out there.

I swiftly grew colorful wings on my back and flew out into the trees without uttering a sound. I followed the sound of the pack's minds and found myself hovering above a large clearing in the woods. My brothers and sisters were standing in two lines, facing about ten vampires. They all looked strong. I knew the only way they would be able to get out of this was if I helped. For now I hovered above and listened.

The leading vampire, so it seemed, was speaking to the wolves. His cold voice didn't chill my bones like it did the pack's. It only made me cautious and aware. The leader's voice was cold and uncaring, but also a little anxious. Maybe he was worried.

"We wish to pass through. We will kill you if we have to, but we need to eat and then continue on our way. So stand aside or die." he told them icily. I knew my brothers wouldn't move an inch to let them by. I felt it was time for me to intervene before the fighting started.

I began to slowly and steadily drop down into the clearing with steady wing strokes. I landed with my wings spread out fully behind me and stood proudly before the vampires. A few stared in awe, others uncaringly. A couple snarled quietly but I heard them.

Holding my chin high, I told the leader of the coven "Greetings. My name is Bella, and I would like to announce to you and your coven that there is to be no feeding anywhere in the state of Washington. If you do, I will hunt you down and kill you all, as that is one of my jobs as a pack sister. If you wish to be traveling then I shall escort you out of Washinton in whichever direction you prefer and let you be on your way. Do you agree to these terms?" I asked them in an official tone. I was dead serious and they needed to know that.

The leader laughed coldly, his blood red eyes scanning over me. "We do not take orders from a silly little human girl with fake wings on her back. We do as we please. Now stand aside or you will share the same fate as they do." he said, pointing to the pack.

I shrugged and said "Your funeral." and transformed into my overly massive wolf form. The leader took a quick step back and Seth snorted a laugh. They had better be scared.

"Last chance bloodsucker. Allow me to escort you away from our homelands, or die right here and right now. It's your choice." I warned them. If they refused, then I would fight for my family and the families of their victims. At this I felt much more strength flow through me, as if their victims had given me their strength so I may avenge them if I needed to.

The leader hesitated for a moment, and then his eyes hardened and he hissed at me. I shrugged my massive shoulders once more and was ripping his head off before the next heartbeat, thanks to me extra speed and enery from the spirits of innocent people. I had his head, left arm, and half his left leg off when the others charged. The pack held them off while I swiftly killed the leader and set his body to flames. Seth and Jacob tossed in another vampire and then Sarah, Rachel, and emily tossed in another one.

Thick purple smoke was trailing up towards the sky. Another vampire was thrown in the pile before I joined back in. Nobody on our side was hurt, and finally one of the male vampires, a man with thin black hair and a very slim frame held up his hands saying "I will fight no more. I have no quarrel with you. I will leave peacefully."

The pack backed up into a line again and the remaining six vampires stood back too, with no anger in their eyes. Merely pure fear. I stepped foward to speak for the pack. "Then we shall escort you to the northern border so you may continue into Canada. We thank you for your cooperation compared to the others." I told them. The pack then formed a circle around the remaining vampired as we ran through the woods, me in the lead. When we reached the border with Canada, we stopped.

"Might I also suggest for your benefits and others that you consider a new lifestyle. Try animal blood instead. It will be the way of life where you travel if you wish it. You will run into less trouble around here if you ever return. If one day we saw you again, but with golden eyes, we would not harm you. Good luck and safe journey to you all." I said to them. The pack and I turned around as we went home.

When we were back in the clearing we went our seperate ways. Jacob continued to thank me and thank me. I became human again and flew into the sky with my colorful wings. I flew home and landed softly on the balcony, where Edward was waiting for me. I smiled at him and leaped into his arms, smothering his face with kisses. He smothered me back and kissed me long and deep. When he pulled away to breathe he said "Please don't ever do that to me again, you scared me to death Bella. I almost thought I'd lost you." he said to me.

"Oh my love." I said and I embraced him tightly, to let him know I would never leave him. I would never be able to. Ever. I pulled back and stared into his eyes, and I knew that I was forgiven. Of coarse I was; he loved me too much for me not to be. I was so overcome with emotion that I leaned foward and kissed him. His arms tightened around me and he kissed me deeply. We kissed for a while, savoring eachother forever. After a while our kisses began to slow down and Edward peppered my face with little kisses. He ended on my nose again, which made me giggle.

We walked hand in hand back in the room where Lizzy was sleeping peacefully in the bed. I climbed in with Edward next to me and snuggled into his arms, just beginning to realize how exhausted I was. However, before I could go to sleep, Edward asked me mentally _May I see what happened?_

I grabbed one of his hands in my own and fed him the train of images and thoughts that were the events of tonight. I felt him stiffen when he saw the vampires, but he relaxed when the pack and I were leading them away. When he saw it all, he leaned back and pulled me close to his chest, breathing in the smell of my hair. I inhaled his scent as well, and fell asleep almost instantly into his chest.

In my dream I was in my bedroom at the Cullen's.

_As Lizzy and I were packing her suitcase, I laughed as she told me of how Esme and Carmen took her everywhere in the mall to find just the right stuff. She was so proud of herself for not complaining even once. She told me that Esme had offered to get her a bunch of toys and Carmen walked up simply covered in slinkies. We laughed together, sister to sister. Right then Alice came in._

_"Bella, we're all ready to go. Do you guys need help?" she asked. I could see hoe excited she was for this trip. I laughed at her._

_"No Alice, we're just finishing up in here. Start loading the suitcases in the car and get everybody ready to go." I told her. She immediately bounced out the door and down the hall._

_Lizzy had a huge grin on her face as we zipped up her suitcase. Then Kara came in and looked around. She had never seen this room before. She turned her eyes back to me and smiled, saying "Thank you Bella. I don't know how I wouldv'e manajed without you and your family."_

_I smiled at her and reminded her "It's your family now too, Kara." She smiled and the three of us walked arm in arm down the hall and out the front door to help load the stuff and get ready to go._

Right then I woke up. I realized this is what would happen the morning we left. I had just had a vision of the future. A smile started spreading across my face. I glanced around, just now noticing I was the only one in my room. I looked out the window and saw the sun high in the sky. Wow, how did I manage to sleep so late?

Just as that thought was running through my head, the door opened and Edward came in with a tray full of buttered toast, scrambled eggs, and pancakes covered in syrup, along with two tall glasses of milk. Edward sat next to me in bed and offered me a piece of toast. I scarfed it down and took some more while Edward ate some scrambled eggs. I was beginning to go for the pancakes when I froze. Another vision was coming. The scene of my room before me was replaced by the scene of my pack brothers and sisters sitting around a campfire and eating, talking, and just having a good time. Then I noticed that we were there too; the entire Cullen family.

We continued to talk and eat until the moon began to edge towards the center of the sky. Then we left and headed home. I realized that this was tonight. My veiw of the present returned to me and I saw Edward watching me with a worried expression on his face. He was calling my name.

"Bella? Bella, are you okay? Bella?" he was sounding really worried now. Almost frantic.

I blinked a couple times and turned my head towards him with an embaressed smile on my face. "Sorry Edward, I was having a vision like I did last night. We're going to a bonfire tonight down in La Push with my pack brothers and sisters." I told him altogether. His head seemed to spin with that for a moment before he relaxed.

I guess I shouldn't be suprised you're already seeing the future, since you have all those other powers already." he told me simply, and then he laughed. I laughed with him and began to eat again. When I was full the plate was empty; I had been really hungry. A wolf's appetite I suppose.

I went with Edward to take the tray back downstairs, and found Esme and Carmen in the kitchen as well.

"We'll be at a bonfire in La Push with the pack tonight; all of us. We should be recieving an invitation from Jacob sometime in the next three minutes." I told them. Esme seemed shocked and began to ask "How did you-" but she was cut off as the phone began to ring. I tapped my head knowingly and answered the phone "Cullen residence."

"Hey Bella? How's it going! Great job with the bloosuckers last night; you saved our tails." Jacob said. He laughed and i laughed too.

"Yeah, I just knew there was trouble. I could tell." I told him.

He laughed again and said "Yeah, well listen, I called because the pack is having a bonfire out on the cliffs tonight, and everybody wants you to come too."

"That sounds great Jake! Is it alright if the rest of the Cullens come too; they already know everything." I asked.

He paused for a moment, and then as cheerful as ever said "Sure, that sounds great! We'll see you guys on the cliffs at eight?" he requested.

"Sure Jake! We'll see you then. See ya you mutt." I teased him. He laughed at that.

"Alright, see ya later you flying peacock!" With another laugh, he hung up the phone.

I put the phone back in it's cradle and told Esme when the bonfire was. She went to tell the others while Edward and I went in the backyard. Emmett and the other guys were teaching Lizzy how to play football while the girls sat in the shade of the trees to watch. Edward and I went over to join the girls in the shade. Kara and Lizzy were quickly becoming a real part of the family.

"So Kara, how was shopping yesterday and sleeping with the girls last night?" I asked her. I wanted to know how she was doing among so many new people. To my relief she laughed and smiled.

"It was amazing! I've never had so much fun in my entire life!" she told me enthusiastically. We all laughed at that. Suddenly I heard the ball whizzing towards Edward, and I casually but quickly reached out with one hand and caught it just in front of Edward's face. Edward's eyes popped wide open and he said "Woah!"

Emmett had been smirking but now he was yelling "Not fair Bella! You spoiled my fun!" I just continued to smirk and laugh at him. I threw the ball way up into the air, and it came back down right on top of Emmett's head. He yelled "Ow!" and then turned towards me. Boy did he look mad, but it was also hilarious to watch.

"BELLA!" Emmett yelled as he came charging towards me. I jumped up and ran through the yard at a normal speed, laughing as Emmett tried to catch up with me to grab me. He had his arms stretched in front of him and was running fast, but no one was as fast as me. I continued to laugh and jump in the air and frolic. Finally emmett changed his coarse of action and lunged for me. HE landed behind me in the grass with a loud "oompf!"

I was laughing and he sat up and began to laugh to. I wasn't even paying attention to anything else when suddenly someone rammed me in the side, locking their arms around my waist, and toppling to the ground, landing on top of me. I opened my eyes and looked up at my attacker to see Edward grinning mischeiviously at me. Seeing the look of shock on my face he laughed. I laughed too and began to feel a soft heat flowing through me, starting around my waist where Edward's arms were.

The heat traveled through my body and began to get warmer and warmer. I gazed into Edward's eyes with all my love, the warmth from his fingers spreading through me like a raging fire. Edward must have seen it to, and I could see it suddenly reflected in his eyes too. He attacked my lips fiercely with his own, showing no mercy. I didn't show any either. His arms around me tightened, and I put my arms around him just as tightly. I allowed him entrance and our tongues began moving in a frenzied sync with eachother. The guys were starting to make cat calls, so Edward and I slowed down and he began peppering my face sweetly. He ended on my favorite spot, my nose.

Edward got off of me and offered his hand to help me up. I took it and he hauled me up off the grass and into his strong arms. I could see the muscles so clearly in them. I hugged him tightly, and then pulled back. He kept his arm snugly around my waist as we walked back over to the others. Emmett was grinning and all the girls were giggling. They had no idea...

I didn't allow my mind to wander anymore, since the last time that happened I was tackeled. I smiled at that and layed my head on Edward's chest, wrapping both my arms snuggly around him. All the girls giggled again. Alice pulled out her cell phone and her mouth popped open when she looked at the time.

"Oh my God! Girls, we've only got an hour to get ready to go! Let's hurry!" she said. She grabbed my arm and Kara's and all the girls followed us inside and up the stairs into Alice's room. She closed the door behind us and we all sat down on the floor with all Alice's makeup stuff. Alice, Rose, and Tanya began working on everybody's faces. Lizzy was laying on the bed reading a magazine Alice had given her.

Once our faces were deemed ready, we did theirs. Alice and Rose had taught me how and I had to admit that they looked great when we were done. Then Alice threw open her wardrobe doors and started pulling out clothes. Rose helped her. As they were doing that, Tanya and Kate sat Irina and I in the vanity chairs to start doing our hair. When we were done Rose and Irina did their hair while I did Kara's. When they were done Kate and Kara helped do Alice and Rose's hair. Alice was done first, so she finished pulling out outfits and directed us each to ours.

My outfit was black skinny jeans,a white shirt that said "Oh yeah? Well I can fly, can you fly? I didn't think so." I loved it. Over the t-shirt was a dark gray half jacket that stopped just above my waist, exposing my skinny waist and belly button. I was also wearing a pair of Ugg boots. My hair had been straightened and put up into a very tight high ponytail that swayed when I moved. My eyes were smoky with nice long eyelashes. Overall I'd say I looked very...sexy.

The others were much the same. All the girls looked hot. Alice was wearing dark gray pants with a white shirt, with a dark gray half jacket over it. She was also wearing a very stylish hat to finish the look. She wore black stiletto boots and had smoky eyes with full red lips. Her hair had simply been spiked more up and back than usual, but it made her look good. Rosalie was wearing tight, white pants and a white tank that stopped above her belly button. She wore a red shirt over it that was only a little low cut and frilled. It would definitely catch Emmett's eyes.

Kate was wearing dark blue jeans with a light gray shirt. Over the shirt she had on a dark blue shirt that looked really nice on her. She was also wearing a headband to hold her hair back, which had been straighted and had only a curl at the ends. Irina had on black pants, a dark gray shirt that stopped above her belly button to show a belly-button ring, and had on a black leather jacket over it. Tanya had on light blue jeans, a white tank top, and a light yellow shirt over it. She also had on a couple bracelets and a necklace.

Kara was wearing tight dark blue jeans with a light gray tank top. Over the tank top was a dark brown shirt that had tight sleeves to her elbow and said "I'm with the freaks". I liked that one. We were ready, and wow did we look good. We spent the time complimenting eachother. Alice told us that Emmett and the guys were all getting ready togther too, knowing how Alice would make us look. When it was nearly time to go we waited as we heard the boys file downstairs.

Alice opened the door and we knew she wanted to be dramatic, so we would wait until the girl in front of us got to the bottom of the stairs before the next girl would come down. Lizzy was staying behind with the adults, who said they thought this was more of a teenager thing.

Kara went first, and we could hear all the guys whistling and giving her cat calls. We heard Emmett say "Wow girl, those werewolves are going to be all over you!" The guys laughed and then Tanya began to descend. The same catcalling and whistling followed her and Garrett said "Tanya, Emmett was right; those werewolves won't be able to resist!"

Now it was Alice's turn. She descended the stairs and heard all the guys whistling for her. We were peeking around and we saw Jasper's eyes bug out of his head as he took her all in. With my super hearing I was the only one who heard him murmer in her ear "Are you deliberatly trying to tempt me? My self control isn't that good anymore." he told her. She giggled and snuggled into his arms.

Rosalie went down next, and as she did Emmett's catcalling and whistling was louder than ever. His eyes were bugging out of his head and had turned very dark. He growled playfully in her ear and she giggled too. He locked his arms tightly around her waist and anybody could guess what he was thinking. Irina, Kate and I giggled and then Irina went down the stairs. The look on Luarent's face was priceless. His mouth had popped open and his eyes raked over her body. When she came towards him he nearly fainted, but held her. As soon as his hand touched her waist, he snapped back to reality and wrapped his arms tightly around her and nibbled on her ear. For a moment I thought she would purr.

Next Kate descended the stairs, making me the last one. Everybody whistled and catcalled again and I saw Garrett's eyes darken noticably as he looked her over. He tried to seem in control, but he lost the fight and pulled her to him so he could hold her possessively. He was definitely going to be all over her tonight.

I took a deep breath and started down the stairs. The guys all started to catcall for me, louder than before. The whistling was nearly piercing, but I didn't care. I had eyes only for Edward. His eyes had gone pitch black, and I could see the shivers moving along his spine. His eyes very slowly raked over my body. When I got to him he murmered in my ear "You are so irresistable. Maybe we should stay behind so I could have my way with you? Because you are definitely testing me and I don't want to fight this one." he told me, his black eyes hungry.

I grinned impishly at him and said "You can have your way with me after we get back. The adults are leaving to give us all some peace and quiet when we get back. Lizzy is going with them. It's almost as if they know." I mocked him. He growled and captured my lips in his own and kissed me hungrily. After about two seconds I took control and pulled back. "Later." I told him sternly. He growled again and I raised my eyebrow at him.

His eyes became noticably darker again and I knew what he was thinking about. I growled playfully in his ear and saw the shivers go down his spine from where my hands rested on his shoulder. I smirked at him and he kept his arm firmly around my waist as we went out to the cars. I decided I would drive the Volvo there, since I knew which cliff it was. Everybody followed me in the convertable and the Jeep.

When we crossed the border onto the res I sped up. We practially flew down the streets and around the corners. When we got to the beach I parked as close to the forest as I could and got out.

Everybody else got out and followed Edward and I up the trail that led to the cliffs. We began to see the bonfire ahead and veered away from the main path to a smaller one that led there. When we emerged on the cliffside, the pack was already around the bonfire, talking and laughing. They had lots of food out and knowing them they'd eat almost all of it. When we stepped of the path and into the open they all turned around. The boys' eyes bugged out of their heads.

Seth and Brady in particular were staring at Tanya and Kara. I connected in their heads again and felt the feeling pulsing through them. Imprints.

I tried to find a way to work this out so they would each be next to the other. Then I got an idea. Seth and Brady were sitting on the same log, but if Seth moved to the log next to him he would have an open spot next to him. I told Seth that mentally and he got up to get some more chips just as Jacob asked for them. Seth gave them to Jacob and sat down on the log next to Brady's. Seth and Kara's eyes connected and I could see the change in her eyes.

Edward and I sat side-by-side on the log next to Seth's, with Alice and Jasper across the circle from us, and Rosalie and emmett on a log across the circle from Seth.

Kate and Garrett sat on the log across from Jacob and Sarah, while Irina and Laurent sat across from Quil and Clair. That left just those two spots. Kara's eyes were still locked with Seth's and she slowly walked over to sit next to him. They continued to gaze into eachother's eyes. Tanya was being shy and quietly sat next to Brady, to shy to look into his eyes.

Brady put his finger under her chin and raised her head so he could look into her eyes. When she looked into his she gasped quietly and the feeling in his eyes began to reflect into hers. Tanya and Brad were already leaning closer and closer to eachother.

They met in the middle, kissing passionetly. I didn't want to intrude in their private moment, so I looked over at Seth and Kara. They were staring intensely into eachother's eyes, so much so they seemed to be reading their soul, and they kept leaning closer, as if they wanted to see more. Finally, Seth's patience seemed to have run out because he grabbed her chin and crushed his mouth onto hers. She kissed him back just as loving, and they looked so perfect together it was impossible to imagine them with anyone else. I looked away to give them their moment as well, and gazed into Edward's eyes.

Edward and I were the only two that had noticed the immediate connections between Seth, Kara, Brad, and Tanya. The others were talking and eating. Edward gazed into my eyes too, filled with love and back to their beautiful green color. I leaned in to kiss him sweetly once, and then pulled back, reminding him "Later." He sighed in frustration and settled for holding me against his side with his arm around my waist. I sighed in content and settled in to Edward's chest to catch up with everybody else.

All the girls were discussing their outfits and outfits they thought would look good on eachother. The boys were mostly talking about the last few football games, except Jacob and Embry, who were discussing patrols for later tonight. I felt tempted to offer my help, but I knew they might not accept it.

As I turned my attention back to the girls, I had a thought. If I can change my shape and form, I wonder if I could change my features as a human? I touched the Stone of the Earth around my neck and thought of me with long, black hair and tanned skin. When I opened my eyes to peek down at myself I gasped in shock. My skin had turned into a nice even tan, not too dark or too light. My hair, still in it's ponytail, had turned a silky black and hung all the way down to my waist. And all I could think was, _woah._

Edward stopped talking and glanced at me to find out why I had stiffened, and he stiffened too. I stood up from the log and turned in a circle, watching my hair fly by. I laughed and spun around, loving the world for what it had given me. The guys must have noticed Edward's distraction, because they stared in shock too. They all had their mouths hanging open and their eyes had popped. Alice squeeled suddenly and jumped up from her log to run over to me. She walked in a circle around me, examining my difference.

As she was walking around me she asked "What happened to you Bella?" She sounded super curious, even though I could tell she was trying to hide it. I tried to explain as best I could.

"I was thinking about my powers, and thought that if I could change my form, I could probably change my appearance too. I tried it and it worked." I told her, trying to shrug it off.

"Can you change other people like this too Bella? That would be so cool!" Alice exclaimed excitedly. The girls all jumped up and down, just as excited as Alice was at the prospect.

I had never considered this. "I don't know, I could try I guess." I told them.

Alice was to be my guinie pig. I touched the stone and thought of Alice with her hair longer and her skin tan like mine. When I opened my eyes nothing had changed. I decided to try again, but this time I grabbed her hand. I thought of her with long hair and tan skin again, and this time all the girls gasped and started squeeling. I opened my eyes and saw Alice as I had imagines her, long black hair cascading down her back with spiky ends, and tan skin blending with the hair beautifully.

Alice looked herself over and turned squeeling to me. She wrapped me in one of her super tight hugs and bounced up and down saying "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" I laughed and changed her back to the way she was supposed to be, along with myself. When we were back to normal everybody settled down and went back to their own conversations. The girls were going crazy, thinking of all the hairstyles and make-overs I could give them in seconds. I shook my head at their over-reactions and walked back across the clearing to Edward.

Edward was sitting on the log, but was watching me with an appreciative eye. I slid back into his side easily, and buried my head in his chest. I glanced up into his eyes to catch him staring at me. His green eyes danced in the firelight, and the fire only helped reflect my love for him. I strecthed up to kiss him just as he began to lean down towards me to do the exact same thing. Our lips met in a short, sweet kiss. I glanced back over at Kara and Tanya and saw them in total bliss. I thought about how much it would pain them to leave their new loves behind.

I called to Jake in my mind and saw his head snap up from his conversation. I jerked my head at the two sets of lovebirds, blissfully unaware of their pack leader and friend staring at them with a new understanding in his eyes. He knew what I would be asking. He turned back towards me and appeared in deep thought for a moment before he nodded his head and told me _They may go._

_Thanks Jakey; I know they'll be thanking you nonstop when they get back._ I told him, calling by the nickname he hated most. He grinned anyways and chuckled quietly. I decided to tell Seth and Brady about the plan I had, and they agreed not to tell the girls about it. We were going to suprise them. They agreed to show up at the house at about 5:30 when we would be getting ready to leave.

I glanced up at the moon, since it was full tonight, and noticed it was in the same spot it was in my vision. I was living my vision right now. I smiled and then realized we should all be getting back. The boys wouldn't last much longer otherwise. Soon they would be salivating. All us girls glanced at eachother, thinking the same thing. Alice's voice popped up in my head, telling me who can sleep where with their lovers tonight. She suggested Kara and Tanya get dropped off in a couple hours so they could have some more time with Seth and Brady.

I agreed and passed the information to the other girls, who all nodded their heads in agreement. It was obvious to the boys that we were planning something, and all at once they were asking questions in my head.

_What are you guys talking about? You're not gonna torture us are ya?_ - Emmett. I could tell he was joking, but he was honestly curious.

_I want in the conversation! What are you planning on doing?_ - Garrett sounded only curious, but I could sense he had a good idea about our discussion topic.

_What's my little Alice planning now? Because if I know Alice she's taking charge of this._ - Jasper. Typical.

_Are we going home now?_ - Edward. To anyone else he might sound only curious, but I knew the real reason he wanted to go home.

_What are you talking about? You girls have a mischevious gleam in your eyes. I want to know too!_ - Laurent, always the observative one.

The sound of all the voices in my head was frustrating, so I yelled out to all the guys _Easy there guys! You'll ALL find out when you get home, and I'll bet you all twenty bucks that you won't hate us for it._ I told them smugly. They didn't oppose, merely waited out the girls discussion on details before we left. When Alice had everything sorted out, starting with the girls all going to Alice's room the moment we got there, we got up to leave.

The boys stood up to, all except Kara and Tanya, who were going to stay behind for a while. Tanya had a knowing gleam in her eye. Kara was all too happy to stay behind. We told the others good night and left down the slopes in the woods to the cars. We drove back home and I could see in Edward's eyes that he was excited. I smirked in triumph and followed the others down the winding roads home.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

**Chapter 14**

When we all pulled into the driveway the girls jumped out of the cars and sprinted up the stairs into Alice's room before the boys could convince us to stay. We had to get ready.

Alice threw open her wardrobe door with a flourish and ran inside to pick out outfits for us all. Or in this case, sexy night wear. Rosalie was wearing a hot, strapless, red top that stopped way above her belly button and showed her cleavage. The bottoms were short shorts that were really tight on her. Alice had on some black leather wear that consisted of short shorts like Rosalie and a top that had two points at the top with a small string tieing around her neck. Irina's outfit was a white top that had a thicker strap around her neck, but it stopped halfway to her bellybutton with the sides open higher up. Her bottoms were tight shorts that weren't quite as short as Rosalie and Alice's were.

Kate was wearing a dark purple top that had straps criss-crossing across her back and the front of the shirt was low cut, but went down just past her belly button. She was wearing a short skirt on the bottom that was silky and made her legs look even more feminine. My outfit, on the other hand, was a flowing green top that shimmered like water down my front with an open back and stopped just above my belly button. I had on some of the tight short shorts that Rosalie and Alice were wearing, except mine was green like my top.

I quickly fixed everyone's hair so it was down and ruffled in a very desiring way. We were ready. We decided to take turned waiting in the hall and would each call our man up to lead them to their rooms. Kate would go first, then Rosalie, then Irina, then me, and Alice was last since she needed her room. Kate stood in the middle of the hallways as we watched through a secret slide in the wall that Alice had somehow got in there. We didn't bother to ask how.

Kate called Garrett's name, and we heard him start coming up the stairs. Kate turned away and started swaying her hips as she walked down the hall towards one of the spare bedrooms, the one she and Garrett were supposed to use. When Garrett got to the top of the curved staircase, he saw Kate dissapearing around the corner, hips swaying and all. When we heard their door close Rosalie stepped out into the hallway. She called emmett's name and began to walk down the hall to their room upstairs. When Emmett got to the top of the stairs he froze.

His eyes turned dark as he watched Rosalie swaying around the far corner, she stopped at the bottom of the stairs and cruled a finger towards him for him to follow her. He didn't hesistate; he practically ran down the hall to her. When they got to the top of the other staircase, Irina stepped into the hallway to call Laurent. Man did his eyes pop. He followed Irina upstairs more willingly than any of us thought he would. Now it was my turn.

I stepped into the hallway and called Edward's name confidently. I wasn't worried in the least, though I did want to have some fun with him. I began walking down the hallway and stopped at the bottom of the stairs, sitting in the bottom of the rail with one of my legs held high. When Edward got to the top of the stairs he stopped for a moment as his eyes went pitch black from lust. He walked trancelike down the hallway towards me. When he was a few feet away I hopped off the rail and went up the stairs. I swung my hips slowly from side to side as I walked.

As we went up the third staircase I flicked some of my hair back over my shoulder with a flourish, and I knew Edward saw it because he was practically shaking with lust and need. When I reached our room I threw open the door and walked inside. Edward followed and closed the door behind him. I stopped right in front of the bed and just stood there. Edward came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my bare stomach tightly, possessively.

I leaned back into him and stretched back to teasingly kiss his cheek slowly, my tongue coming out to rub his cheek for a moment, then I pulled back before he could really react. He growled lowly in my ear "Belllaaaa". I turned around in his arms and ran one finger slowly down his chest. Then I laid both my hands and his chest and ran them up to his shoulders, where they went across the top of them and around his arms. He moaned and I leaned against him as I did this.

He ran his hands around my waist and up and down my thighs. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he unexpectedly lifted me up into the air. I wrapped my legs tightly around his waist as he carried me to the side of the bed and dropped me onto it. He jumped up next to me and grabbed me so that I was underneath of him. But I wasn't finished yet. Using my extra strength, I flipped us over so I was on top and smiled down impishly at him. I ran my hands up his arms and pushed up his sleeves. Then I moved my hands to the bottom of his shirt and pushed it up and over his head.

With his chest exposed, I smothered over him. I ran my hands over his chest in circles and leaned against him snugly. He pulled my shirt over my head to reveal my lacy black bra. He then rolled us back over so he could kiss my stomach. He kissed my bellybutton and then started up, over my stomach, between my breasts, and up to my collar bone. Finally his lips connected with mine, and we rolled around in the passion of our kiss. I wrapped my legs through his and threaded my hands into his messy hair. A sexy mess.

Some time during this he had unclipped my bra and was now pulling his thumb over the peak of my left one while he sucked on the right one. Then he switched and gave the same treatment to my left breast. He then lifted his head and stared deep into my eyes, and I could see how much he needed me. I needed him so much I thought I would explode if I didn't get him soon.

I undid his belt buckle for him, needing him more than ever. He threw his jeans on the floor somewhere near his shirt. He stripped me of my shorts within moments and there we lay, raking our eyes over eachother. I felt slightly embarrassed, but not enough for me to want to stop. The sight of Edward with a bare chest and in only boxers turned me on. I sat up slowly and crawled over to him. I pushed him back onto the pillows and lay on top of him. I kissed him deeply and slowly, savoring the sweet moment before the lust took over again.

Apparently Edward wasn't enjoying the sweet moment as much as I was, because he ran his hands down my back and laid them on my butt. His finger hooked themselves on the thing strap and pushed it slowly down my legs until I could flick them off. He flipped me over and I pulled down his boxers and threw them to the ground. I could feel heat building up inside me, just waiting to be released. Edward positioned himself at my entrance and searched my eyes. Then, finding what he apparently wanted, he plunged himself deep into me. We both moaned in unison.

Edward waited for me to get adjusted and then started rocking back and forth inside of me. I leaned my head back to enjoy and began rocking back in forth in unison with him. He began to go faster and faster, was pumping harder. It was amazing. I could feel the pressure building up in me, and at one final thrust I went over the edge, moaning Edward's name as he went over the edge with me. We lay there side by side for a while then. After a while we both got up to get dressed and get some sleep. The only thing was I wasn't tired.

After Edward was sound asleep, I slipped out of bed and went to my dresser. I wrote out a quick note and left it on top of the covers where I should be sleeping, in case Edward woke up. This is what I wrote -

**Edward - I've gone out for a quick run in the woods before we head out tomorrow.**

**I'm hoping you won't notice my absense, but if you do then go back to sleep and don't worry;**

**I'll be back before you know it.**

**Your Darling Lover,**

**Bella.**

I left the note and went out to the balcony. I called forth my wings and flew out into the night air. It was a nice night to be flying, under the moon with all the stars watching my back for me. I flew over the huge length of trees and shrubbs and bushes, enjoying the wind as it playfully pulled my hair. I laughed and it rang in the night air. It sounded like it belonged. I flew away from all the trees and over my small hometown of Forks, watching the last few people drive home for the night. That's when i noticed two motorcycles flying through the narrow streets with two people on each.

I drifted down to get a closer look and saw it was Brady and Seth on the motorcycles with Tanya and Kara sitting on the back with their arms around the boys' waists. I smiled at my success and flew away from them, over the small town. with my extra sharp hearing, I picked up the sound of someone screaming a ways away. I flew towards the sound; curious. Who would be screaming so late in the night, and why? My mind raced to the worst and I pumped my wings harder to reach the screamer faster.

I came to rest in Port Angelas (I didn't realize my hearing was THAT good) and heard the vibrations from the scream coming from north of me. I flew silently over the building and found that I was entering the dark back alleyways. I glanced down and heard the scream again; much louder this time. It was close too. I pushed my wings foward and flew to the heart of all the alleys. The darkest spot, and there was a girl in there. I rested on top of the tall building that made up one of the walls of the building.

Down in the middle of the alley was a girl of about sixteen; still a fresh teenager. She was surrounded by four guys, and it was all too easy to recognize them.

Mike.

Eric.

Ben.

Tyler.

Four of my worst enemies from school. And here they were, cornering a helpless little girl in a dark alleyway. I listened to what they were saying to her, and even from up here I could hear her loud and rapid heartbeat. She was dead terrified.

"Why don't you hang out with us for a while? You'll have a great time." Mike told the girl with a wicked grin on his face.

"Yeah, come on girlie; it won't be so bad. We're just going to have a little fun and then let you go. That's not so bad now is it?" Tyler chimed in. The young girl shook her head rapidly back and forth, and glancing around, trying to find a way out.

I quickly changed my appearance so they wouldn't recognize me when I went down there to save her. I turned my hair a pretty blonde with brownish-red highlights in it and changed my outfit to a tight t-shirt that showed my belly button and some light blue jean short shorts. I then flew down to around the corner from them and began to walk that way, acting like another innocent sixteen year old.

When I rounded the corner, my footsteps began to echo off the walls; or it did to me anyways. The boys heard me and turned around to stare, and I saw their expressions turn mischevious. Mike stepped foward while the other three stayed behind the girl so she couldn't escape.

"Why hello there beautiful; how would you like to spend the night with us? We're getting ready to have a nice big party over here. Come join us." he said in a dangerous voice. I glanced at the girl as if I was curious as to why she was also here.

"Hmm. Well I don't know, she doesn't look as if she's having any fun, so why should I believe that I would too? I need a real party, not a couple of slops who think they know it all." I said tartly, flipping a bunch of my hair back over my shoulder with a flick of my hand. Mike's face held a blotch of anger in it.

"Are you insulting my skills, bitch?" Mike got up in my face in his rage. "Because if you are I suggest you shut your mouth real quick, or else it might get you into trouble some day." With that he pulled out a knife from his pocket and flipped it open. HE began to walk towards me, and when he was within arms length I stopped him with my hand on his chest. He looked down at my hand and back up, as if to say _Move your hand or else._

Of coarse I did no such thing. I left it there with an annoyed look on my face, like he was merely a small pest I could deal with. And to me he was, though he didn't have to know that.

He threw my arm aside and came at me in two strides, knife at my neck. I had let him do that to keep up the part. It was the only way to free the other girl.

He put his arm around my waist and led me to the other girl. The two of us stood in the middle of the circle of boys. The teenager was shaking with fear, but I stood there ever so calm. I wouldn't have much trouble getting the both of us out of this. I was going through a list of animals I could turn into in order to scare them off. I was at a tie between a bear and a mountain lion. I settled for the mountain lion; it would make more sense with the hair.

As we stood there the boys began to advance on us. I turned in Mike's direction and said "Wait. I have one question first."

Mike seemed to think of this as a fun game, because he stopped and studied me for a moment as if I actually mattered to him. "Alright, speak." he commanded.

"How much do you value your life? Because unless you want to die I suggest you scurry on home. It's your choice of coarse." I added on the end. Mike just laughed menacingly and then shook his head at me.

"There's no way I'm passing this chance up; two girls in one night. Right boys?" He asked the others. They all nodded and "yeah"d in agreement.

I simply shrugged my shoulders and said casually "It's your funeral then."

I touched the stone around my neck and it began to glow. I was moments later standing there as a slightly overgrown mountain lion. I roared ferociously at them, and they all quievered. Now they were the ones afraid. I spoke again.

"Last chance. Scurry on home, or die now. The world won't miss you; trust me on that one." I told him. He hesitated for a moment, so I growled and began advancing on him in slow steps. Mike backed up a few steps and spoke in a shaky voice.

"Your voice sounds familiar. There's no way... you're Swannie! You're Swannie aren't you?" He accused. I didn't change in features as I continues to advance on him.

"Did I look like little miss Swannie to you Mike Newton? NOw if I were you I'd take your buddies and go home before I decide I need a snakc. Now, GO!" I roared at him. I then began to lope towards him quicker, and he turned tail and ran down the alley and out of sight. I turned back to the other three boys and growled at them. They turned tail and ran down the other end of the alley.

I glanced at the girl, now out of danger. She was still shaking, with new fear. I realized with a shock that she was afraid of me. I padded slowly towards, but she began to back up. As I walked towards her I said "Do not be afraid. I came to help you."

She was shaking a little still, and said "I don't know if I can believe you."

I nodded my large head and said "I know. But if you want out of all these dark alleyways and back on the main roads, I suggest you trsut me and hop on." I told her, ndicating my back with my golden muzzle. She walked slowly toawrds me, still unsure of me. As she came up to me, she stroked my back shakily. I purred to help gain her trust. She then, reluctantly it seemed, climbed on my back. She settled herself between my shoulder blades and I took off after she wrapped her arms around my neck securely. I sprinted down the alleyway and around the corner.

I knew I needed to get back home soon, so I decided to save a little time. I sprouted golden wings on my sides and flew up to the roofs, where my wings receded. I then hopped silently from roof to roof; not disturbing the buildings' inhabitants. When I could see the main broadway of Port Angelas I slowed down.

I leaned over the edge of the last rooftop before the mainway and looked straight down. It didn't look so bad from up here; I could make that jump. I hopped thirty feet down to the ground, landing with a muted thud of my paws. Not even a bruise, ha! I bent down so the girl could clamber off and then turned back into my real human form.

I nodded my head at her and said "You are safe now. Try not to go down so many dark alleys next time." I told her. I didn't have any more time for real farewells; perhaps I would see her again one day, then I could explain. One day maybe. With that thought in my head, I then sprouted my favorite, colorful wings and flew up into the night air. As I was going out of sight I saw her wave and heard her whisper "Thank you."

In her mind I told her_ Your welcome. Now be safe._ And with that I continued to fly. I could sense her suprise, but I let the link fade and flew straight home. As I was flying over the driveway to the place I now called home, I saw Carlisle's black mercedes and Eleazer's black truck going up the driveway. I smiled and flew to the back of the house and onto the balcony. I could hear Edward's steady breathing, but it wasn't deep enough for sleep. He wasn't fooling me.

I let my wings recede once more and padded silently in our room. I hopped up onto the bed and curled up in my lover's open arms.

"Hey." I said quietly.

"Hey." he said quietly as well. I noticed that the note I had left him was laying on his nightstand. I wonder how worried he was...

"How was your run?" he asked me. I knew he could tell that something was up. I am SO busted.

I sighed and said "Fine, you win. Give me your hand." I relented. He held his hand tightly in mine and I passed him the surge of the night's events. He stiffined the moment he saw Newton's ugly face. Not that I was suprised.

He sat in silence the entire time, except when he snorted while trying to hold laughter when he saw NEwton's face as he ran off like the coward he was. Not that I blamed him, anyone would do the same thing in the presence of something so big and wild. Edward's face became thoughtful as he replayed my possibly going to see the girl once again, after we got back.

"That seems like a good idea, otherwise people will think she's gone insane and she could get in some serious shit when she was only telling the truth. Do you think you have time to fly back out there and find her? Leave your cell phone number on her bedside table or something so you can have her call you and so you can explain to her about it while were still in Spain. If you can make it there and back by tonight, you can sleep on the plane in the morning." he suggested. I nodded my head and was about to hop our of bed and leave when the door opened.

Esme came in carrying Lizzy, who was fast asleep in her arms. She had her thumb in her mouth and didn't stir as Esme whispered "She fell asleep about an hour ago, the poor little tyke. She needs some sleep for tomorrow; try not to wake her." Esme laid her gently on the bed and backed out, but before she could close the door I called to her "Hey mom?"

She came back in. "Yes Bella dear?"

I sat up a little straighter. "You remember the La Push Pack right? Two of their members imprinted on Tanya and Kara, and I invited them to come with us so they wouldn't have to be seperated for so long. Is that okay? I know there's a boatload of us already." I apologized. She smiled at me in that calm, motherly way I always liked.

"Of coarse it's all right Bella dear, you're simply putting the needs of others first, and I'm perfectly alright with that. Of coarse they can come." she told me softly. Then she added quietly "However, you all still need sleep, so get some rest. Goodnight you two." she told us, closing the door softly. I smiled slightly and then hopped up to go back onto the balcony.

Before I went out though, I turned back to Edward. "You had better get some sleep too; I'll be back much sooner than last time. I promise." I told him quietly, so as not to wake Lizzy. I kissed him lightly on the lips and then loped onto the balcony and into the air, wings automatically unfolding as if they had been there the whole time.

I flew quietly and quickly through the chilly night air towards the thread of light that led me towards the girl I had saved earlier tonight. As I got nearer, the thread became more descriptive and direct. I found her window in no time, where I found her laying in her bed and gazing up at the ceiling. The room she was in had only a twin bed, a large dresser covered with things, and a small desk stacked with papers and books in the corner. It was a really small room for a teenaged girl to be living in.

I called out to her mind again, so as not to scare her. Though I knew she'd probably freak out anyway. No stopping now I guess. I sat lightly on her windowsill outside her closed window and softly spoke to her in my mind.

_Hello again. I realize I didn't have time earlier to explain things properly, and I don't have that time now either, but I wanted to give you a way to know everything so you're not confused. I'm going to leave my cell number. Call me in two days time, since I won't be around here for a while. Please. I shudder to think of what could happen if you were left wondering what exactly happened tonight._

At the sound of my soft, whispering voice in her head, she sat up bolt right in her bed with wide eyes and whispered, to herself it seemed, "So it wasn't a dream." I chuckled quietly, and she must have heard me, because she turned to her window and had to put her hands over her mouth to stop her shreik of fright. After a moment she calmed down enough to go to the window and let me in. When she did I hopped silently into the room and went straight to her desk. I took a sticky note and wrote me cell number on it and gave it to her.

She took it, read it, and glanced back up me. "How do I know I'm not dreaming?" she asked me in a whisper.

I chuckled quietly and said "The human mind does not have enough imagination to create a story such as the one you lived through tonight; trust me." I told her quietly. She nodded her haid and put the note in the middle of her desk so she would remember it. I nodded my head in satisfaction and went for the window to go back home.

Just then the girl held her hand out and said "Wait a second. If I'm not dreaming, and this is all real, how can you change, and speak inside my head? Why do you look different than before?" she asked in a rush. I laughed quietly at her. I was waiting for the curiousity to spill over.

"I will tell you everything you want to know within two days time. I promise. Now sleep; you've had a trying day." I told her gently but firmly. She nodded her head and practically fell into bed. Within moments she was asleep. Must have been tired.

I climbed out her window and glanced back at her once more before leaping out into the night air again, wings sprouting fro my back. Truthfully I hadn't felt them dissapear, so I guess they had been there ready for me, in case I needed them. I figured I'd find out why sooner or later. I was starting to feel the weight of the entire day's actions and events dragging ast me, and knew I needed to get some sleep soon. I would need to be alert tomorrow morning though. After a moment's thought, I remember one of my old dreams. About the lake that humans never found; Silver Pure Lake.

I decided to veer there and put some of the clean lake water in a flask or soemthing for tomorrow morning. I would need it. I veered to the left to head for the mist surrounded lake. I spent only about an hour searching for it before I found the mist swirling up through the trees. I drifted through the treetops to stand next to the lake's pure edging. I looked to the side and saw a bunch of wood carvingsa that had been shedded off a nearby tree, though they were still young and fresh. Odd.

I walked slowly over to the small pile and picked up to strips of woods. I rounded one and put the other the same way just above it and held it there for a moment. Nothing happened. Then I noticed a patch of clovers nearby and my spirits lifted. Clovers could fix anything and also put anything together. Physically anyways. I picked up a clover and put it on the crack between the two strips of woods and watched them form together. Suddenly I heard a familiar voice.

_You didn't need the clover; you have the power to do that without it. I thought you had realized that by now._ The voice teased me, and I turned around to see none other than Lecio hopping across the soft grass towards me. I smiled a little, and then refocused on the wood. How could I get it to go together without the clovers?

I thought about many of the little strips of woods spinning around to make a little wooden vhial that would hold the lake water. Suddenly I understood. All I needed was trust in it. _Trust in the Berries_ was the term they used. I grabbed some strips of wood and held them together the way I wanted them and thought of them forming into one solid figure. The wood creases dissapeared, and I had a vhial in my hand waiting to be filled. I figured some of this would be nice while I was in Spain, just in case.

I made another four vials and made small corks to stop the liquid from spilling. A glance at the moon told me I needed to beback soon to head for the airport. I stepped hesitantly to the side of the lake and put the vial down into it. When I raised it again, it was full, though no liquid clung to the outside at all. I put its cork in the top and set it on the ground next to my feet. I did the same with the other vials, all in silence.

When I was finished, I turned to Lecio and told him "Thank you Lecio. It really means a lot to me. Now I must go. I'll see you in a while O Wise One." I teased him. I heard his chuckle in my mind and hear dhis soft farewell. I grabbed my five vials in my arms and lfew back into the misty air to go home. However, I noticed my wings were starting to droop. I pushed my way through the soft breezes to the balcony of my room. When I got in the room I saw Edward immediately jump up from sitting on the end of the bed and come over to me. Aww, he had been worried about me.

I set the vials on top of my dresser before turning to face Edward. He was scanning over my body, probably looking for any injuries. I took his hand in mine to show him what I'd spent the night doing. When I released his hand, he opened his eyes and then closed them again as he kissed me passionately. I just then understood exactly how worried about me he had been.

He pulled back and wrapped his arms tightly around me, and I whispered that I loved him and that I was alright over and over again in his ear. After a while he seemed to have calmed down. He must have been sitting up for a long time, probably since I left. I glanced at the clock and noticed with a start that it was already three in the morning. I led Edward to bed and crawled in next to him. We both fell asleep within minutes.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 15**

During the night sleep was peaceful and deep for the three of us. My dreams consisted of nothing more than swirling mist that I couldn't get any glimpses through. It was very frustrating to say in the least. So instead of uselessly trying to see through it, I watched the swirling mist. It reminded me of watching the clouds drift across the sky as a child. It was full of hidden designs and ideas, all it took was a little imagination. I remembered, not long ago it seems, chasing the bunnies in the backyard or pointing out a squirrel to my father. Even though he had always ignored me, it never dampened my childlike spirits!

As I was watching the swirling mists, I saw something that looked at first like a large rectangular shape. Then, I imagined it was a vast doorway that I could step through. I imagined the countless things that could be on the other side of the simple oak door. ASuddenly, the mist shifted and the door seemed to swing open. Light streamed through it, throwing colors of every kind on the swirling mists, truning each section into a live scene of life and action. A bird sleeping in its nest, a young mother badger, guarding her younglings. Every space in the air, every wisp of cloud was a new picture, constantly changing to show something else.

I stood up from my spot on the soft grass...-wait, there wasn't grass there before. Yet as I looked on, there it stood. Tall, springy grass. I shrugged my shoulders and stepped through the sunlight hewn doorway. It shut with a soft _thump_ behind me. As I glanced around I could see that I was standing in the middle of mine and Edward's room. However, unlike my last vivion, the room was dark. And as I glanced around, I noticed that Edward, Lizzy, and I were sleeping peacefully together there, undisturbed by anything. I looked down at my body with a silent squeek of surprise. I could see through myself.

That's also when I noticed I was floating. Strange. I took a step foward and seemed to flow softly from place to place. I glanced back at my living self, relizing that this wasn't a dream at all. This was real. There was my body, sleeping in that bed. Though as I looked on I noticed it didn't seem as alive. Nothing showing a real person was there. Like it was just empty... empty of the things a body needed. Or empty of what a body needed the most. A soul.

So my soul could roam free. With my will, or was it only on rare occasions in my sleep? I needed to speak with Lecio; he would know. He had once told me that my powers would grow as I became more accustomed to them; did that mean that I had even more powers, too weak and small to let themselves be known yet? I had so many powers already, and yet I still wasn't sure why. I would have to find out I guess. Someday.

For now I walked around and glanced at my body. I could sense it was alive, but it felt like it was in another world, another time even. Like being in a coma. I knew I was alive, my body just didn't notice much of it.

I walked out onto the balcony and stared up at the stars in the sky. They were so gorgeous at this time of night. I made one last glance a thtem, and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. 5:00. Everyone should be waking upo by now. I guess they forgot to set their alarms. I walked through Edward's door and down the hall to Alice's room in my spirit-like form.

She was sleeping in a tangle of sheets on Jasper's bare chest. I stiffled a giggle and then whispered in the silent air of the room "Time to wake up you two; you can sleep later. TIme to get ready to head for the airport. Come on now, get up." I told them softly. Alice and Jasper began to stir, and when Alice awoke she glanced around the room. She looked right through me. Seeming satisfied, she began to get up to go get dressed. Feeling satisfied, I went to wake everyone else.

I found Rosalie and Emmett much the same as Alice and Jasper were. I woke them up and woke up everyone else in the household too. Once that was done, I began to recede back into my body with a sigh. I went back through the sunlit doorway and fell into my body's normal functions once more. I became awake immediately.

I sat up and blinked away my tiredness. I was still exhausted. I crawled out of bed without stirring the others and went over to the dresser. Picking up one of the vials from on top of it, I unpopped the cork and took a small sip.

I felt a blaze of new energy surge straight through my body, from my nose to my toes. I felt refreshed immediately. I figured that much would last me until we got onto the plane.

I padded quietly across the floor to the bed and lightly kissed Edward's sleeping lips and murmered in his ear "Wake up my love; it's time to get ready to leave." He groaned slightly and rolled over.

He said quietly "What a way to wake up." he sighed with content as he said this. I laughed quietly and went to wake up Lizzy. The first few rays of sunlight were beginning to stream into the room. It cast a warm glow in the room, making the shadows fade and everything have a different color.

I walked quietly to Lizzy's side and began stroking her hair, saying "Lizzy, it's time to wake up. Wake uyp Lizzy. We have to keave soon." I told her. She stirred under my hands and her eyes opened to meet mine. A grin lit up her face and she sat up, stretched, and yawned.

She turned to me and said "Good morning Bella." She got out of bed and went over to start packing her small suitcase. Edward got up and went to go to take a shower. When he closed the door Lizzy said "I had a weird dream last night. I dreamed I was jumping up and down with you and Edward, except Edward had an umbrella open above his head and was wearing a dress!" she said, giggling.

I laughed at the mental picture of Edward wearing an old dress with a puffy umbrella on his shoulder. Then Lizzy started talking about how had taken her everywhere in the mall the other day we went shooping, to find just the right stuff. She had been so proud of herself for never complaining once. She told me that Esme had offered to get her a bunch of toys and Carmen walked up simply covered in slinkies. We laughed together, sister to sister. Right then Alice bounced in.

"Bella, we're all ready to go. Do you guys need help?" she asked. I could see how excited she was for this trip. I laughed at her.

"No Alice, we're just finishing up in here. Start loading the suitcases in the car and get everybody ready to go." I told her. She immediately bounced back out the door and down the hall. At least somebody was fully awake.

Lizzy had a huge grin on her face as we zipped up her suitcase. Then Kara came in and looked around. She had never seen this room before, I realized. She turned her eyes back to me and smiled, saying "Thank you Bella. I don't know how I wouldv'e managed without you and your family." She was sincere, and I could tell that came straight from the heart.

I smiled at her and reminded her "It's your family now too, Kara." She smiled gratefully at me. Lizzy grabbed her suitcase and we hooked our arms. Kara was on my other side. Arms hooked together tightly, we skipped down the hall and stairs to the main floor to add Lizzy's luggage to everybody else's that was piling up by the door. I recognized Alice's pink suitcases, and there were no less than three of them. The same amount was for all the other girls, while the guys each had only two. Just then, Alice came down the stairs with three more suitcase; mine, I realized.

I then remember how much clothing I had gotten yesterday and nodded in understanding. While Kara and Lizzy stayed in the living room, I went back upstairs to find Edward coming out of the bathroom; fully dressed in a white polo shirt and tan baggy capris that looked really good on him. I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around his chest, laying my head against him. He wrapped his arms around my waist, laying his head on top of mine.

We stood there for a few moments, as Edward began stroking my hair. I gazed up into his beautiful eyes to find his gaze was already on me. I grinned slightly and leaned up to kiss him gently. His kiss was just as sweet and tender; had more meaning to it than many of the more fervant kisses I had given him. After a moment I pulled back and Edward gazed into my eyes. He kissed the tip of my nose and grabbed his suitcases to haul them downstairs. I grabbed a small carry bag Alice had gotten with me on friday and put the vials of lake water in them carefully.

After zipping the small bag back up, I went out onto the balcony with it over my shoulder, to gaze once more into the woods i've called my home for so long now. It felt strange to be parting with them, even if only for a time. I was thankful to know that at least where I was going, there would be more woods and creatures than there are here. I called a last farewell to the creatures of the woods and made my way downstairs.

When I reached the ground floor, I could sense two massive shapes moving through the woods behind the house. With a sigh of relief, I recognized Seth and Brady. They both seemed excited for the trip that lay ahead. We all were.

They emerged sneakily from the woodas and hid on the side of the house. When I went out the back door and around to greet them, they had changed back to humans and were wearing beige capris and t-shirts that fit them tightly and showed off their muscles. They each had a couple of duffels by their sides. I nodded silently at them and motioned for them to follow me, though I carried all four of their bags. When we reached the back door, I told them to wait there.

I went in the back door and put the other four duffels on the pile. Nobody paid much attention; we were waiting for the airport buses to get here and pick us all up. Edward caught my eye and I nodded my head at him. His eyes glowed with understanding and he nodded back, mouthing the words_ I love you_ to me. I mouthed them back and went to the back door where the boys were standing.

I motioned for them to come on inside. I led them to the living room and stopped in front of everybody else, who were talking in groups on the sofas and floor.

Kara and Tanya were sitting in a circle with the girls on the floor. I cleared my throatloudly and suddenly everyone's heads turned my way. I motioned with both my hands to the two huge boys standing behind me and said "Tada!"

Kara and Tanya both squeeled with joy, and hopped up immediately. They both ran into their lovers' arms. Tanya and Brad kissed eachother deeply, while Kara and Seth gazed steadily and warmly into eachother's eyes, sharing their moment of bliss. I giggled and looked away. Everyone eske paid no real attention to them as well and went back to their conversations. I went into my lover's open embrace and watched everyone mingling together. And I thought, _This is my family, the way it should be. All of us together. All that's missing are Jacob and the packs._

Kara and Tanya rejoined the circle of girls on the floor, bringing Seth and Brady with them as they discussed possible things to do in Spain. Alice was writing down everyone's suggestions on a list. I glanced over the list and saw Alice's neat handwriting:

**Trip Entertainment Suggestions**

**- Cliff Diving**

**- Swimming**

**- Horseback Riding**

**- Hiking**

**- Sight Seeing**

**- Shopping**

**- Party!**

**- Boating + Tubing**

**- Water Skiing**

**- Zip Lining**

**- Sandcastles**

**- Beach Walking**

**- Visiting Local Schools Maybe?**

**- Meeting Locals With Unique Jobs? Lol**

I glanced over the list they had made so far and giggled; what a list. Edward and I sat down in the circle as well as Emmett and Garrett did. Laurent came to join us last. We all sat there giving out rsndom suggestions, like Go Karting, Bonfires, Frisbee; all kinds of stuff. That's when I thought of my powers. I didn't know how the animals in Spain would react to my coming. Best to take that part slow.

But I thought about flying, and how I flew Edward over the treetops with Lizzy. It had been lots of fun for all of us, and I knew if Emmett got the chance to try it, he would jump right on and say "Let's Go!"

I grinned and suggested "Flying, anybody?" Alice raised a dainty little eyebrow and Emmett laughed. Everyone's heads turned towards me, and I grabbed Edward's and Kara's hands. Everyone else, after seeing what I wanted them to do, joined hands with the people next to them. I showed them the image of me carrying Edward out of the treetops the other day, and of me coming back as a winged pegasis, carrying them both.

I could hear the girls excitement beginning to bubble like the boiling of water, and the guys were already out there saying who went first. I laughed and let the image fade. Everybody dropped hands except Edward and I. We held our hands tightly clasped together. I didn't pay any attnetion what so ever to the conversation after that; I was to busy staring at Edward. All I could think was Edward. I thought about how warm and comfortable and _natural_ laying on his chest felt. I sighed in content as I thought about it. Right then I heard Edward stiffling laughter.

I glanced up at him curiously, and then remembered that I was still holding his hand. I blushed light pink before looking down at my lap again. I fiddled with a lock of free hair over my shoulder and humed quietly to myself. Edward was having none of that. He put his finger under my chin and slowly raised my gaze to meet his.

_There's nothing to be embarrassed about; I think that way about you all the time, love. I was only laughing because I thought of how ironic it was that you thought that way about me too._ He told me grinning. I relaxed into his grip and layed my head against his chest. I hummed a content note of satisfaction before settling down to wait.

About ten minutes later I could hear the two airport vans coming up the driveway. I got up from Edward's lap, stretched, and said "They're coming up the driveway guys, so let's go." Everyone gut up and went to help carry all the luggage out to the vans when they pulled up. When we finally had all the luggage outside, Esme closed the front door and locked it. A final farewell to the house before our nice, long vacation.

As we all loaded the things into the trunks of the vans, I glanced once more at the lively forests surrounding the house. I was about to get into the van when I felt something brush my ankle. Glancing down, I saw a familiar white rabbit sitting there, grinning.

_Lecio! I'm so glad to see you!_ I told him, surprised. Lecio winked at me and I picked him up, to say a real goodbye before I left. I was going to miss having his voice in my head, telling me what to do and giving me advice like an elder gives to a kit. He patted my cheek as a silent way to say goodbye. Edward noticed and came to stand beside me, waving a farewell at Lecio as well.

"We'll miss you, old friend. And thank you, you've brought my world to me." Edward told him gratefully. I set Lecio down with a smile and allowed him to hop back into the cover of the trees. Befroe I could turn around, another figure emerged, slightly larger than Lecio.

_Delvy_ I said with a compassionate sigh. I loved the sight of that precious doe; it brought a swirling mist of peace to me. I patted Delvy's head and Edward stroked her back as he had done once before. With a sigh, Delvy bounded across the meadow and into the shade of the trees, giving a last farwell with a flick of her ears.

Alice was giving us all a chance to decided who went in what van with who before it erupted into a full scale argument. Alice sighed, exasperated. Then she shouted above the voices "Alright, everybody stop! Just stop! Hush! Oh jeeze, will everybody _please_ just SHUT UP FOR A SECOND?" Suddenly all went quiet.

Alice breathed a sigh of relief and said "Alright, now who votes we spilt between the two vans as one being for girls and one for guys?" she asked, and nine people raised their hands.

Alice counted them up and then said "alright, now who votes we split into the vans evenly with each couple?" Alice asked. Nine more people raised their hands. Alice frowned in confusion and counted us all. As she counted, she tried to figure out who didn't vote. That would be me.

when she ended on me she folded her arms across her chest and said "Alright Bella, which side do you vote for?" Alice asked. I creased my brows in deep thought, knowing what I wanted and what the girls would say about it.

I then told her "I choose we split between the vans evenly with our couples, however, if the girls all still wish to talk together, then I'll put a mental link between us all. Same goes for the guys. Deal?" I asked them. Everybody agreed, so Alice split us up in the vans by the pairs, putting Lizzy in the same van as me.

In our van, the Blood Red Van as we called in, was me, Edward, Seth, Kara, Tanya, Brady, Esme, Carlisle, and Lizzy. Edward, Lizzy and I shared the back, with Tanya and Brady sitting in front of us, and Kara and Seth sitting in front of them. Carlisle and Esme sat in the front of everybody. As the loaded vans pulled back down the driveway, I snuggled into Edward's chest, keeping my left arm around Lizzy's shoulders and playing with her hair as she watched the scenery fly by.

As we stopped at one of the three stoplights in the small town of Forks, I saw a cop car stop behind us and thought nothing of it. Until I could sense all the anger and hate radiating off of it. No. Fucking. Way.

I leaned my head foward so that my hair was hidden from the veiw of the window and changed my hair color to a dirty blonde with highlights. The same hair color I had used last night. I tanned my skin and then peeked a glance out the back window. So I was right. There he was, in all his retched glory, one car behind us. The other airport van was behind him. I could see Alice's face squinting through the windshiled to see the driver of the cop car. So she was thinking like I was. Smart chickie.

I called out to Alice in her mind _Don't bother looking; it's him. And man, is he PISSED._ I told her. She nodded her head slowly, and I could see her looking over her shoulder at qa worried Jasper. She nodded her head and his eyes went a little rounder. He leaned back and whispered in Emmett's ear "Charlie's in front of us. Pass it on!" I would have laughed at the old way of communication in a long line of people,had it been under other circumstances.

I focused my eyes on Charlie, and saw he was impatiently waiting for the light to change. He glanced at the van behind him and then looked at the one in front of him. His eyes locked with mine, and I feigned a cheerful smile and waved at him, like I was just another teenager. He feigned a half-amused smiela dn waved as well, though I saw right through it. Suddenly I noticed that Kara had come to the back of the van and was about to look over my shoulder, saying "Whatcha looking at?"

I held her back for a second, making her hair appear short, spiky, and pink. I changed her skin to a light tan and made it look like she had a nose ring on so she wouldn't be recognized by Charlie like me. I then allowed her to look over my shoulder out the back window. She gasped and said "He's looking straight at me!"

I calmed her down and said "Just smile and wave, that's all you gotta do. Pretend he's just another ordinary cop in a strange little town." I told her quietly. She nodded and smiled a half smile to fit her pre-goth look and waves cheerfully at him, while chewing a piece of bubble gum. Charlie waved at her too, with a fake smile on his face that we both saw through. Just then the stoplight turned green, and we were off, Charlie still trailing behind us.

Suddenly, I could feel my powers of control getting weaker. I remembered that I only had strength because of the water I drank. I hadn't had enough to last me the whole trip, and it would be unhealthy to take more now. I shooed Kara back to her seat, turning her back to normal. I sat back down in my seat and lay on Edward's chest, exhausted.

I felt my disguise fade, but since I was below the window, I don't think Charlie saw it. I wrapped my arms around Edward's chest and snuggled in deep, for a nice long nap on the way to the airport. When I awoke again, we were just pulling off the main highway and into Seattle. I didn't sit up from my spot; I was far too comfy. I'm guessing Edward noticed I had woken up, because he began stroking my hair back as I lay there.

I raised my head a little, yawning. I had much more energy now, and I leaned up to kiss Edward. Sensing what I wanted, he leaned his head down and kissed my lips slowly. He pulled back then, and rested his head on top of mine comfortably. The rest of the ride to the airport was fairly short, and when we got there we all got out and stretched; stiff from sitting still so long. The second van pulled up behind us and the first person to jump out was Alice. She glanced through s group of passing people before spotting me. She sprinted over to me and locked her arms fiercly around me, hugging me.

I hugged her back and told her "It's fine. He couldn't recognize us. I made sure of it." I told her. But she merely shook her head at me. Glancing around, she seemd nevous.

She focused back on me and whispered urgently "Keep up that disguise you wore earlier, and keep one up for Kara as well. Give her black hair or something. Charlie followed the vans here, and he's somewhere in the parking lot, watching or walking. He must have seen Edward's hair and gotten curious. Best for you guys to stay inconspicuous. If something happens, your name will be Kaura and Kara's name will be Laura." she told me. I nodded my head in agreement and called Kara over, explianing.

I changed her hair color and mine to silkly black hair, stright and at the same length. Both our skins became copper, and our eyes became blue. I changed our faces so we looked like twins, and told her to make it appear that way. We then linked our arms, grabbed our luggage, and walked side by side into the airport with everyone behind us except for Carlisle, Esme, Carmen, and Eleazer. Carlisle checked us all in, and we were told the plane was running behind, but would be here in fifteen minutes.

We all sat our luggage in the loading area, and went to wait in a bunch of chairs fro the plane. Kara and I sat next to eachother, with Edward and Seth on the outside. After about five minutes I could sense Charlie coming our way. _Good thinking Alice_, I thought.

Charlie came to stand before us all and Carlisle and Eleazer got up to greet him. They all shook hands and Charlie asked "So what are you all doing way up here? More family coming in?" he asked politely.

Carlisle shook his head and said "No, a two month long vacation with the entire family. While we're out there we've had the kids escused from school, as they'll be learning Cultural history while they're there. We're hoping to spend a lot of bonding time together, to welcome all the new additions to the family." Carlsile explained to him. Charlie nodded his head in understanding.

He then said "would you mind introducing me? I haven't seen so many faces in one place except at a high school" he told Carlisle, laughing. Carlisle laughed too and began the long introductions. Alice must have given him some cover stories for us. She must have spent the whole trip here thinking all of this over.

"My original family was Esme, myself, Edward, Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, and Jasper. Our cousins from up in Alaska are originally Carmen and Eleazer, the parents; they're children Kate, Irina, Tanya, Garrett, and Laurent. The new additions to the family are these lovely girls we adopted not too long ago, named Kaura and Laura; twins from the reservation. Kaura is now a part of the family with Edward. Laura fell in love with this Quileute boy named Seth, so we welocmes him as part of the family too. Tanya fell in love with Seth's best friend Brady, and was also welcome to the family.

"The last addition is our litle girl Lizzy over there, who we found lost in the woods on a hikinh trip, and we adopted her after learning her folks were giving her up for adoption. Nineteen of us in all, yet it's all still family." Carlisle concluded. Charlie looked genuinely impressed; imagine supporting nineteen people. Much less taking them on a two month vacation.

"That's quite a family you've got there Carlisle." Charlie remarked. He squinted his eyes at Kara and me. "Where did you say these two were from, cuz I think i've seen them before." he remarked. He looked us over carefully, and I knew what he was thinking.

"We adopted them from the reservation; it's quite possible you'd seen them around down there on your visits; I heard they were once very popular girls." Carlisle explained to him. Charlie nodded his head and pretended to look a little sad and upset.

"They just remind me of my lost baby girl is all." he said, pretending to sniffle, though Kara and I saw right through it. We glanced at eachother and said at the same time "That must be horrible."

He nodded and said "Yeah. You even sound like her." He said, pointing to me. I tried not to show my panic, though Edward seemed to noitce. I needed to get away from him.

I grabbed Kara's hand. "Laura, will you come with me to the restroom before we leave? My contacts are getting dry, and it's making it very difficult to see." I told her. She nodded her head and we both told Carlisle "We'll be right back." After getting a conformation nod from him, we set off to the bathroom. We didn't stop until we got there. When we did, I slid down and sat on the floor with my back against the wall. I put my head in my hands and just sat there.

Kara sat down next to me and rubbed my back. She knew how difficult that must have been for me. I leaned my head back in thought before standing back up again. I helped Kara up off the floor and we went back out into the terminals. When we got back to our seats, we found that Charlie was nowhere to be seen, and the others were anxiously scanning the crowds for us. When Edward's eyes found mine, I saw him breathe a sigh of relief.

When Seth noticed us he jumoed up and jogged up to us, taking Kara's hand from mine and pulling her into a famous bonecrushing werewolf hug. I smiled at the sight and thought _they're so cute together_.

When they announced that our plane was ready to board, Carlisle led the way onto the ramp to the airplane. We had first class seats, and I loved them as soon as I sat down in them. They were all soft and comfy.

When we were all seated, we didn't talk much. The adults talked about the plane and travel expenses and about different airlines. The rest of us teenagers were curled up in the same seat as our lover was, snuggling. Lizzy was asleep in her seat already. As the flight got ready to take off, several blonde female attendates about our age came in to assist us, though they spent more time trying to "Assist" the boys. When one blonde in particular; tall, skinny, overly blonde, covered in makeup and showing off her body; came over to "assist" Edward, I growled at her and gave her the death glare that says _Stay away or I will bite your head off_.

She didn't come back.

When the plane had lifted into the air and we were free to walk around again, we all got up and sat in two groups as always; boys and girls. Us girls were trying to think of things to do, while the guys just whispered secretively on the other side. Alice asked me what they were talking about, and why they were being so secretive. I was beginning to wonder that too. I told them to keep talking while I listened in.

"Man, my Rosie was so hot last night; must have been the best sex i've had in months! She really had it going." Emmett whispered to the guys. It was obvious they didn't want us to hear them sharing their experiences.

"Yeah, the same with Alice. You'd think someone so small wouldn't have so much power, but damn was she hot!" Jasper said. I giggled quietly so no one would hear. This would be interesting.

"You guys must have nothing compared to Bells. First time and she's already a pro! I swear, she practically had me drooling all night! She actually made me _growl_." Edward told them. They all guffawed, and then Emmett cut in.

"Maybe, but that's nothing verses the experience Rose and I have." he stated proudly. Edward shrugged his shoulders, uncaring. I grinned mischeviously.

"You know, that was mine and Kate's second time only. By the way Jasper, remind me to thank Alice and the girls for making her look so damn hot! I swear, she was like an expert pr sp,ething! It was amazing, but I didn't know she knew any of that stuff!" he whispered, amazed.

"Man, same with Irina and I; but it was fantastic! I swear, she was crawling all over me. I felt like her slave! I would've been her slave for more of that stuff!" Laurent whispered.

"Maybe the girls talk about us the way we talk about them, and they share secrets and moves and things." Jasper suggested, shrugging. The men all agreed that was probably it, and glanced our way. I was still listening to them , but I was pretending to listen to Alice talk about the coolest shoes she saw online that she wanted. I nodded my head when she described them, saying they would look good on Kate if they were silver. We all agreed and I started telling them about the dress I caught a glimpse of the other day that would look great on Kara. As I described the dress, I felt the men's attention go back to their conversation.

Alice had seen the dress I wasa talking about, and went into complete dress mode, talking about hundreds of other dresses she knew we would look fabulous in. I truend my extra-sensative hearing back on the boys' conversation.

"At least they can't hear us. The only one who would be able to is Bella, and she was talking and telling Alice about some dress they saw. No problem." Emmett told them. They all agreed and continued to whisper.

"Man, did you look through Alice's suitcase Jasper? I looked through Rosie's and you should've seen some of the stuff she's taking with her! Damn!" Emmett quietly whistled. Jasper nodded his head at Emmett.

"I couldn't help peaking, and guess what Alice had on top? It was the shortest, sexiest black dress I have ever seen. It was more than a club dress. It was like a sex goddess dress! I can't wait to see her in it!" Jasper told them. The men agreed once more, and switched their conversation back to normal tones as they talked about the last football game they had watched in Emmett's room.

I turned my attention back to the girls and we all joined hands in a circle wordlessly, though the girls looked excited to be getting to hear what their men were talking about. _Here goes_ I thought.

I fed them the small stream of conversation I had been listening through, and all the girls started giggling. I giggled at one point because the boys were right; of coarse we shared everything and talked about our men when they weren't around! That's what girlfriends were for!

When we were done, we all got up and walked over to the boys with one plan in mind: sexy. When the boys noticed our approach, they all swiveled their heads our way. We each sat down in our boyfriend's laps and relaxed. I was supposed to start.

I looked up at Edward with innocent, yet oh so sexy eyes and asked "So you think I'm a pro huh sweety? Well I was just satified with that growl." I told him, rubbing my side against him. I could immediately tell he was turned on, yet suspicious.

Now it was Rosalie's turn. She looked up at emmett with her deep, dark eyes and said "I'm glad you thought I really had it going honey; I enjoyed it too." She closed her dark eyes and seemed to simply snuggle into his chest, though I knew her hands were rubbing against his abs. I could see his eyes go a little darker, but the guys still hadn't caught on yet.

Alice lifted her head and stared into Jasper's eyes, and she half-whispered, loud enough for all of us to hear, "You'll get to see that dress _very_ soon at this rate." she told him. Jasper seemed to catch on to what had happened, and his mouth popped open. He glared daggers at me. Luckily, he seemed to be the only one to have figured it out. The others were still clueless.

"You know sweetums, I wouldn't mind a third time." Kate told her lover simply. Garrett looked down at her with wuestioning eyes, but she merely gigled and curled up more.

Irina was supposed to drop the bomb. "I have some shackles in my bag if you want them honey. After all, slaves usually wear shackles right?" she asked Laurent innocently. Kara and Tanya were just giggling from their lover's laps.

Laurent's eyes suddenly lit up with understanding and he said "How-"

Emmett cut him off, saying "No fucking way! Baby Bells, you didn't!" he accused. The boy's eyes began to light up with understanding, and they glanced around nervously.

I shrugged and said "Maybe you shouldn't have been whispering so loudly. Or it was to me anyways." I told them shrugging.

Edward groaned beneath me "Beellllaa!" At that, all the girls started cracking up into fits of laughter. The boys just glanced at eachother nervously.

"You know, that was some useful information to us. You just provoked a few of the things that happen when we get there..." I trailed off mischeviously, and all us girls glanced around at eachother, before nodding our heads. I could see in Alice's mind that she was already making plans.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 16**

For the rest of the flight there, we simply talked amongst ourselves. The boys talked about an Xbox game they had all been playing, except Edward who had always been with me. He murmered sweet nothings in my ear as we got closer and closer. After a while of whispering to eachother Edward began delicately nibbling on the soft spot on my earlobe. I giggled, and then leaned back to kiss his neck a few times, letting my tongue out between kisses. Edward growled lowly and I giggled again.

After many hours up in the sky, we began to descend from the clouds. We all rushed to look out the windows and was greeted with a beautiful sight.

The most colorful beaches were laying beneath us, and the sky was reflecting on the water, making it a bright and vibrant blue. Beyond the beaches were many grassy fields and meadows, most untouched by human machinery. The Spanish like to keep things more natural out here; I'd forgotten about that. Off to the right and left were forests so thick and vast they seemed to never end. Sunlight shimmered off the colorful treetops and played on the wings of the birds. It was all so beautiful. And way out there somewhere, to the right of us and down the coast, was our seach house for our stay here.

As we began passing over small towns which eventually grew into a large but beautiful city, the plane began to get lower. I could see the airport ahead. We were all told to get buckled in and prepare for landing. After a bumpy landing, we unbuckled, got up, and left the plane. Stupid plane.

We entered the terminal in one big group of people. Alice grabbed our nads and bounced over to the luggage with us to help sort through it. As we watched the luggage conveyor belt turning, I thought _This is it. We're finally here._

Every time one of our luggage would come around we would all grab for it; since we had to grab all three bags at the same time before it went away again. After a good ten minutes or so of waiting for the bags and then grabbing them off, one after another, we had successfully gotten all the laggage, _without_ the guys' help. We stood with our arms folded across our stomach's when the guys came over to get their luggage from us. But we all stopped them.

We all told them at the exact same time and in the same tone of voice "What do you say?" The boys all looked puzzled for a moment, scratching their chins.

The Edward came up to me and put hishands on either side of my face. He stared deep into my eyes and said softly "Thank you for getting the luggage. Would you like me to carry yours as well?" I couldn't resist those eyes, and I wouldn't mind if I didn't have to carry my luggage. I wrapped my arms around his neck and stared right back into his eyes with my own. I leaned up and softly kissed him on the lips.

When I pulled back I told him "That would be fabulous. Thank you." He and I grinned at eachother and he picked up our luggage easily. I put one of my bags over my shoulder anyways and linked my arm through his. I smiled up at him and we walked over to where the adults and Lizzy were waiting for us with all their stuff already. Esme had a knowing glint in her eye, and she winked at me. I laughed and she laughed with me. So she knew. And she was fine with it? God, I loved my mother!

She nodded her head at me, understanding my unspoken words. I then heard her voice in my head, saying _It had to happen someday, why not then?_ She reasoned. I smiled at her and said aloud "I love you mom."

She smiled back and said "I love you too sweetie. Now how's our unfortunate boys doing over there?" she asked, glancing over my shoulder. They were no better off than they were before.

I shouted to them "Hey girls! Give them a clue why don't ya? They can't all be as smart as my Edward!" They all laughed and yelled "Okay!' while the boys yelled "Hey!"

I laughed and turned my attention back to my lover, who was gazing down at me. His eyes held love, admiration, and even respect. I grinned up at him and said "You really are quite witty; it didn't take you very long to figure it out." I told him. He laughed his sweet, melodic laugh and I felt his cool breath on my face. I glanced back and saw Alice and Jasper coming our way. Apparently he'd figured out something that worked.

Kate and Garraett were following them, with both looking quite please. Irina and Laurent were just grabbing their luggage, while Emmett and Rose were in a heated make out session. I catcalled them and they broke apart, grinning at eachother. When everyone had gathered around with all their luggage, we hauled it out front where we saw more airport vans waiting. But they didn't take us toward the beach. They took us to the biggest car dealer in the area. All I could think was _No way_.

When the buses dropped us and our luggage off, we were taken around on a tour with Carlisle while he pointed out the most expensive and flashy cars. He said he was going to be generous and let us buy some cars, and two of them would be going back with us. The two that were going back home with us eventually were to be my car, and Kara's car. We were both giggly and excited. We ran around, looking at cars and dragging our men with us. For some reason, I didn't find any cars that appealed to me, and I asked Carlisle if I could get a motorcycle instead of a car. Of coarse he agreed.

Esme, Edward, and I set out to a good motorcycle dealer where I could buy a bike. As I glanced around, I thought there was nothing here for me as well, before I caught sight of a bike near the back. I fell in love with it immediately. My mouth dropped open and I ran flat out to it. Esme knew this was the one. I hugged her and Edward and went over all the details on the bike.

It was a hot red 2008 Ducati 848 with black leather seats and a killer engine. IT had been built for speed, power, and places where it's not always a striahgt, smooth road. This would do great in Forks when we got home. I loved it. Esme paid for it all up front with cash and soon I was following sme and Edward back to the Auto seller on my new Ducati. I hummed contently, listening to my baby purr. The meter read that it could go up to nearly 200 miles an hour!

As we pulled back into the auto-dealer's car lot, I saw that everybody was already waiting for us with their new cars. They fit their owners pefectly.

Kara had gotten a 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe convertable in silver; the small and flashy sports car fit her great. Rosalie had gotten a Mclaren P11 in silver with black leather interior. It was a super flashy sports car and she looked great in it. Alice had gotten the Alfa Romeo 8c Competizione in a striking red color. It was one of the flashiest and hottest cars I had ever seen. Then there was Emmett, who had to have a big manly car, so he got a 2010 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited in hot rod red with black interior. He just had to have his jeep.

Carlisle had already picked out his car for the trip. He picked a black 911 Turbo Porsch with more black leather interior. It was a nice car, I'll admit. Now that we all had our cars, we loaded the luggage and prepared to head for our home for the next two months.

Edward was going to ride with me on the Ducati, which when Jasper had seen it his eyes had bugged out of his head with awe. Emmett had said "Awesome pick Baby Bells!", and all the girls had giggled at the guys and complimented me on my choice.

We all pulled out in a line towards our beach house. As we drew away from the city I sighed with relief. It was back into the country. Into the wild, where I belonged. Our beach house was far far away from anyone else's beach houses, and only a few small town folk lived nearby, in the small town of Dalwin. The only people that lived anywhere near us though were local farmers and ranchers and people who hosted sports and stuff like zip-lining over the trees. I couldn't wait to visit them all.

As we sped on, we followed the dirt road that lead as far as the public usually went, until we found another dirt road hidden in the trees that led to the house. We traveled on the dirt road for about 15 minutes before we came out into the open again. The sight that greeted us was amazing.

The trees opened right up to the beach, with the waves lapping at the sand, putting streaks into it. The path from the woods led to a garage that was attached to the house on this side; facing the woods. The trees wrapped around farily closely to the back of the house, seeming to be a part of it. The waves lapped up not very far from the front pathway, which was covered in sand. The house itself was magnificent.

It was a white house with three stories, and had balconies along the back and sides that attached to the master bedrooms. The area of wall around each balcony door was huge panes of glass, and on one bedroom in particular on the top floor, the trees seemed to grow inside of it. Odd, but I liked it. The front porch was a wraparound of white and beige, with some sand lying on it. On the back side of the house, the ground floor where the kitchen was had walls made only of glass, letting sunlight light up the kitchen during the day. The whole scene was truly breathtaking.

We pulled up and parked the cars in the very spacious garage, with plenty of room for us to walk through it and for my bike to sit in the middle, all red and shiny. I stroked it once more before accepting Edward's extended hand in my own. We all walked together to the front of the house. Esme got out a key to open the front door, and we all went inside our vacation home. The inside was gorgeous already.

As soon as you entered, you were faced with a sand-colored stairway that led up at a turn. To it's left was the living room, where light brown and dark coffee brown sofas sat, along with matching chairs. They all faced a flat-screen TV. The carpet was also sand colored, and the walls were a light beige color. There was a doorway that led to the open kitchen and back door. On the right side of the staircase was a dining room, one that we would probably never use. Edward and I walked upstairs, hand in hand. We checked out all the rooms, one by one.

The first room would obviously be Alice's. It had mixtures of blues like the ocean all around the room, with a balcony in the back. It had a huge closet and vanity, and was obviously meant for a girl or two. I called Alice up and as soon as she caught a glimpse of the blue colored walls she bounced right in, squeeling to Jasper that she wanted this room. Edward and I laughed, then looked over the other rooms. We found rooms for everybody but ourselves when we reached the last door on the top floor. Edward waved an arm at the door dramatically, saying "You do the honors."

I laughed and opened the door slowly, then stepped in. The first words out my mouth were "This is the one Edward; this is the one."

This was the perfect room for me. For one thing, the entire room was painted and colored in various shades of greens and browns like the forest around us. I was right earlier when I though the tree branch came in the glass wall. There was an amazingly huge tree branch that was inside, and ran into the middle of the room, creating a holding frame for the huge and thick matress in the center of it, also brown. Somehow, there was another small tree sprouting out of the branch. It filled up most of the celing, and grew out behind the bed. It was enormous, and beautiful. It made the room seem to glow green.

Apart from the tree itself, other small branches had sprouted from the main one to wrap its vines around mahogany colored dressers and a vanity. The closet was fairly small, but I was okay with that. There were birds twittering in the tree above our heads and squirrels playing on the limmbs. It was like the forest was welcoming me with making my stay more connected to them. I would be eternally grateful for this.

I dropped my bag and, after a moment of thought, ran and flopped down on the bed. It was so amazingly soft; the best I'd ever laid on. Edward set down the stuff and then he also ran and flopped on the bed, laughing. He stretched out for a second before relaxing back into the mattress. He then propped himself up on one shoulders and sat there watching me with those green eyes of his. I propped myself up so that we had mirrored positions from eachother, green staring into darker green.

I glanced around once more and said "Suddenly I like it here. The tree really is a comfort," I added, glancing up at the tree full of animals, "but there's something else to it. I guess maybe its just the natural feeling in the room. It's nice." I said, shrugging. There was no real explanation for it. Edward nodded his head in understanding and then rolled over so that he rolled on top of me. He locked his arms at my sides and held most of his weight above me as he hovered, staring straight into my eyes. I stared right back, and wound my arms around his neck, playing with his hari. Finally, he leaned down and kissed me lightly on the lips, gently.

I kissed him back just as gently, just as sweetly. He didn't kiss me for very long, but I didn't mind. I was just glad to finally be here. I smiled and flipped us over, so that I was laying on his chest instead. I wrapped my arms around him tightly and snuggled into to his warm chest. We stayed that way for a while, just laying there in eachother's arms. After a little while, Lizzy came in.

"I've got my own room now, on the first floor across the hall from Alice's room! I really like it!" she stated proudly. Then, looking unsure, she said "You're not going to miss me too much are you?"

I laughed and said "Of coarse not. We'll still see you every day silly." I told her laughing. She smiled, satisfied, and left quickly, hopping down the hall. I glanced once more around the room, and then up at the tree above our heads. I saw the squirells there, playing a game with the vines, where they swung from one to another. It looked like a lot of fun. I thought of how fun it would be, and decided to go and join their game.

I touched my fingers to the stone around my neck and thought of a bushy tailed squirell. One moment I was holding onto Edward, the next I was sitting up on his chest, feeling very small. Edward raised his head up to look at me, and laughed. I wondered what could be so funny, and seeming to read my mind, he said "They had put a garland of vines and leaves on your head. It's funny." he told me, laughing again. I put my little paws on my hips and stared him down. He blinked and erupted into laughter. It shook his whole chest, feeling for all the world like an earthquake.

I jumped off his chest and onto the bed next to him, glancing up at the branches. Them with a deep breath, I jumped over Edward's head and clung to the side of the tree. I began to scale up the tree, and thought to myself _This is actually pretty easy_.

When I got to the branch where the other squirrels were playing, they all turned and overed a vine to me. I took the vine, and swung on it to the opening. When I reached the middle, I jumped off my vine onto the next vine and swung further, then jumped to another vine. On this last vine, I swung to the next branch and landed. I let the vine fall back and glanced around at the other squirrels. They were each on a vine, and they would jump off their vines to the vine across from theirs, while the squirrel on the vine across from their took their vine in their place. Like a team, trading places.

I watched with awe, and one of the squirrels beckoned me over. I came over and gripped the vine I was given. When they gave the signal, I flew through the air on my vine until I saw the other one was near me. I jumped off my vine and onto theirs and swung back with ease. I chirped a squirrel's laugh, and did the vine switch game over and over again. After a while, Edward told me everyone was going to go to the water's edge and asked if I wanted to come too. I held up a paw for him to wait while I waved goodbye to my new squirrel friends. They waved back, and I scurried down the tree and jumped into Edward's open palms.

Laughing, Edward carried me over to the dresser. He had already put all his stuff away, and Alice had apparently come in to my stuff away so he wouldn't see. He opointed out what of mine was in which drawer, and I got changed into one of the swimsuit's Alice had picked out for me.

The swimsuit was a light red-orange mixed color with little beige flowers on it. The bottoms had them everywhere, while the top had little palm trees on them. This had been one of my favorites. Smiling, I pulled it on as Edward put on his swimming trunks, also a light red, but with coconuts on his. He and I joined hands and walked down the hallway to join the others who were waiting in the living room.

We were the last ones downstairs, and when we got down, everybody headed out the front door. Some of the boys had surf boards in their hands and a couple of the girls had boogie boards that were connected in two's. We all headed for the water. Alice had a boogie board and asked if I would try it with her. The boogie boards she was holding had Dolphin's swimming in water on them. I smiled and said yes, and the two of us waded into the water before the boys even did.

Alice and I got on top of our boogie boards, sitting on our knees, and used powerful arm strokes to get us further out into the water. When we were far enough out, we laid down on our boards to wait, our arms at the ready. Soon, a huge wave came careening towards us, and we rode our way up the wave before it started to fall. When it did, we rode it out almost to the shoreline. We were laughing the whole time, and got soaked of coarse, but we didn't flip over at all. Alice and I high-fived before passing the boards onto somebody else. I saw the boys about to go out with their surfboards, and noticed there was an extra surfboard laying in the sand.

Smiling, I picked it up and followed the men out into the water. We propeled out to the currents and soon caught ourselves on a wave just coming fresh out of the water. We all swam up the wave, and when I got to the top I stood up on my board without even a tingle. I watched the other boys climb up onto their boards with difficutly, and Jasper almost didn't make it.

When we were all standing, I curved down to the front of the wave and rode along its edge. It began making a loop around my head and soon I was inside a tunnel made of water. I slid my hand against the smooth surface of the water wall and surfed through the closing tunnel. Just as it seemed I wouldn't make it out through the narrow exit, I slid through and the wave crashed down behind me, spraying me with sea water. I laughed loud and full and surfed as far out as the shallows before hopping off my board. As I did, Edward came up behind me completely soaked.

His wet bronze hair glittered in the sunlight and threw small rays into my face. His eyes were alight with exhileration and he had a beautiful smile on his gorgeous face. I smiled back up at him and took a step foward to give him a hug. He opened his arms up for me and pulled me into his tight embrace. After a moment or two of just standing there in our hug, I pulled back and, with a last glance at him over my shoulder, went to sit with the girls again.

The girls were going to try to build a huge sandcastle, but they weren't entirely sure how.

I raised my hand above my head when Alice asked if anyone knew how and said "I do."

All their attention was focused on me as I explained the basics of building a sandcastle, and then the extra qualities. when the girls seemed to have it down, we all worked together to build. The boys tried to help once, but Alice shooed them away, saying this was a girl sand castle noly. The boys retaliated by building a guy sand castle. As we worked on our castle, I noticed with approval that they had listened when I told them how imprtant the foundation was.

We had the first full layer of our sand castle already done and gorgeous, when the men all started arguing over their pitiful mound of sand. They were apparently arguing over where the flag they had should go. We ignored them and build the remaining two layers of our castle. When that was done, we added the four corner towers and the one in the very center. We then made the top appear to have all the turrets and added all the fine details using our nails last. When we were done, Alice got a peace of some small, pink silk cloth, put it on a toothpick, and put it on top of our center towers, pronouncing it done.

Right then, the boys announced theirs done, and we all moved to block our sand castles from the other team's veiw. On the count of three, we all moved out of the way. I laughed out loud when I saw their castle.

The boys' sand castle was so pitifull that I had no choice but to laugh out loud. It consisted of a mound of sand with little blocks formed from it, and had a twig with a leaf on the end of it stuck in the top as their flag. We laughed at theirs, while their mouths popped open at the sight of ours. The whole time the adults had been watching us and laughing, while Lizzy was looking at shells in the sand where the water came up.

The boys stuttered a bit, trying to find an escuse about our castle, although it was flawless. Finally, they gave up and Emmett announced "Alright, alright, fine, you win!" he reluctantly announced. We all cheered and gave eachother high fives for a job well done. As I glanced along the sea shore, I noticed a blurry shape far out on the sand, coming steadily our way. faster than a human could run, and bigger too. I stretched out with my enhanced vision and saw that it was a grey horse with a bridle and saddle on, but no rider.

"Uh oh." I said worriedly. A number of things could have happened to the rider of that horse. I called Edward's name and he was beside me in a moments time. I crouched down on my hands and knees and told him to sit on my back. Looking confused, he did so. I touched one of my hands to my stone and transformed myself to a russet horse with a white mane and tail, with some white markings on my legs and a strange design like a tree in white on my forehead. I charged out to the other horse while Edward kept a tight grip on my mane.

When I reached the other horse, I slowed down and it stopped in front of me, looking exhausted. The horse was a boy, a little younger than I thought at first, and he was worried about his former rider. It had been a very young girl. As they rodse along the beach, someone had jumped out of the trees and taken her from him. He was a very loyal horse, since this girl had been riding him since she could walk. I agreed to go back to help find the girl with him.

Without another word, I followed the grey stallion along the shore of the beach to hopefully find the girl. We traveled for only about a mile along the sandy shores before we came to a place where the lind of trees practically went to the water's edge. the stallion told me that this was where she had been taken. I called out to the animals int he nearby woods, asking if any of them had seen the girl. I soon got an arrow path that would lead me straight to the kidnappers, who were still trudging through the woods. A helpful robin offered to follow them to keep tabs on the girl, and flew off to follow them.

I transformed once again, though this time in to my spiritual wolf form. I could travel faster this way, and would scare the kidnapers more than a horse would. The stallion, who liked to be called by the name his mistress had given him, Fiathful, said he would like to come with us. He allowed Edward to ride him, to make an appearance before I had to come out to help. I slowed to the same pace as Faithful and ran alongside him.

After about half an hour of nonstop running, I could sense them just ahead of us. I informed Edward and Faithful and I slowed to a walk as they entered the clearing that the kidnappers were taking a break in with the girl still held captive. I could see that she was tied up next to the stump of an old tree, with a gag around her mouth. She didn't struggle, though she looked like she was calculating something; a way out probably. when Edward entered the clearing, her eyes went back and forth between hope and caution. They settled on caution.

Edward had stopped Faithful and spoke directly to the bandits. "Hello there. I was told that a girl had dissapeared from the shore and came to help find her. That looks like the girl there," he said, pointing at the young girl, "and I would prefer it if you would release her from those pointless bonds and let me take her back home." he told them, sounding full of authority. Right now he had it.

The kidnappers laughed and said "Why should we listen to you? There's way more of us than just you all by your lonesome self. How about we kill you and just continue on our way?" the bandit suggested, probably the leader.

Edward shook his head and said "You are mistaken; I'm not by myself. My friend is waiting for me back there, would you like me to call her?" he asked them, sounding for all the world dangerous and powerful. The bandits merely laughed for a moment before the leader spoke again.

"Bring your pretty sheila in here and we'll see what we can do with her." he told Edward, commanded really. I realized I should probably enter as a human, and turned back into my human form with a touch of my stone. I then took a deep breath, and walked out into the open clearing. Some of the bandits whistled and laughed, and I could see the dirty thought going through their minds. I shuddered slightly, and went to stand beside Faithful with Edward atop him.

I glanced over at the captive girl, and saw her wearing a look of deep suspicion and confusion on her face. I then turned my attention swiftly back to the bandit leader, who was looking me over with appraising eyes. I ignored his staring and said "I'm here, now let the girl go before bad things start happening to you." I warned them mysteriously. I didn't have time for games; Edward and I needed to get back home soon.

The bandit laughed and said "Your mysterious words won't work on me sheila; I'm too smart for that one." he told me, laughing with the rest of them. I shook my head in disbelief.

"More likely you're too stupid, in this case anyways. Now let her go, or I'll take her from you myself." I told him, my eyes going black. He looked confused as he watched my eyes turn black and then snorted.

"Nice trick little shelia. Why don't you just come over hear and join her on the floor?" he suggested, trying to say _there's no other choice for you. _Oh, how wrong he was.

I fought to remain calm and walked straight towards the leader. Without hesitating, I grabbed his neck and hoisted him up in the air in front of me, staring up into his face as his feet kicked the open air they were now standing on. I leaned close to him and whispered in a deadly voice "I've given you plenty of warnings now, so either give her up, or have a few bruises for a few weeks. your choice of coarse." I spat at him, and dropped him onto the ground. He sputtered and sat up to face me.

I merely shrugged and walked over to the girl, but two more thugs jumped in my path. Using some of my wolf strength, I pushed them both out of the way and went straight for the girl. I changed one of my nails into a sharp talon from a bird's claw and cut all her bonds, ungagging her mouth. Edward hopped off of Faithful, just as he came over to nose the girl. She breathed a sigh of releif, and hoisted herself into her saddle. As we began to walk out, all the bandits stood to block our path from us leaving.

I was getting fed up with waiting today, so I stepped toward the line of men and said "Do you want to bleed to death, or move? Because if you don't move you won't find yourself in happy place." I told them clearly. None of them moved, so I shrugged and touched the stone on my neck, calling forth my spirit wolf, and changing before thei very eyes, whch were now wide with fright. I growled lowly at them and began to advance on them in slow, agonizing steps. Every time I stepped foward they went back a few steps.

I then leaped foward in one massive bound so I was right in their faces and snarled at them in a truly terrifying way. They all screamed in terror and ran off into the woods, tripping and yelling as they went.

Humming in a satisfied tone, I loped gracefully back over to Edward. He patted my shoulder and hoisted himself upon me. With a glance at the girl, I asked her "are you going to be able to find your way back home through here?" She nodded her head in a yes and I nodded once to her before bounding into the trees. I bounded over fallen trees and around boulders and bushes, up and down slopes and across open meadows.

It took us only a few minutes to run out of the trees and onto the sand, where I charged down towards home. It took us ten minutes more to travel to within sight of our beautiful home. I charged across the sand, spraying it around with my massive paws. When we reached the path leading to the front door, I transformed back and stood there shaking the sand from my skin. Edward had somehow jumped off of my back when he saw me start to transform and was standing beside me now. He smiled at me with his milky white teeth and took my hand, leading me inside.

As soon as we stepped through the front door, everyone got up from their seats in the living room and rushed over to us, asking what happened and if we were okay. Finally I held my hands above my head and said "Whoa whoa whoa whoa WHOA! Easy Killers! Let a girl breathe here!" They all took a step back. I gestured to the living room and they all rushed back in, eager to hear our story.

We all sat on the floor in a huge circle, and everybody connected their hands. I paused before grabbing Edward and Alice's hands, taking a deep breath. As I firmly grasped Edward and Alice's hands, the story began. They didn't seem at all worried as we charged through the forest to find the young girl, but they all gasped when they saw all the bandits holding her captive the way they did. Carlisle's brow was furrowed in confusion as he watched the the bandits demeaner. As the link faded, I noticed that a certain warmth in me faded with it. A certain light faded, like my hands had a power source in them that acted like a lightbulb, lighting up when it was in use.

As I pondered this, the others began to disperse except for Edward, who sat faithfully by my side. I glanced up into his worried eyes, deep in concentration. I took his hands in my own and passes him the look of the ocean outside, and I felt my hands get warm and light up. As I glanced down at them, they seemed to be glowing; shimmering in a way. Intriuged, I kept hold of Edward's hand in my own as I raised my hand to survey it. It was beginning to sparkle and shimmer.

Finally I relaxed. I felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders for no reason whatsoever. Maybe there was a reason? The feeling of doing something good. Maybe that's it.

I sighed deeply and stood up, pulling Edward up with me. I held his hand and pulled him along behind me as I led him up to our room. When I opened the door I saw the tree and all the animals playing peacefully among it. A smile broke out on my face and I pulled Edward over to stand under the tree with me. As I glanced up at the top of the tree, I noticed it stretched even higher, and that there was a circular hole in the roof that it grew out of. Puzzled, I let go of Edward's hand and began to climb the tree with my bare hands.

I climbed up, branch by branch, until I made it through the hole in the roof where the tree pretty much ended. I climbed onto the top of the roof and saw a few small hatches in it. Curious, I walked over to the one closest to me and pulled on it. It silently swung open. I glanced down and saw I was looking into Lizzy's room. She was in there listening to her mp3 player and reading a book. She hadn't heard or seen me. I closed the hatch and went to the next one.

The next one was really strange. It had a ladder, and there was another hatch below the ladder. I climbed down the ladder and opened the hatch to see Emmett and the boys playing Xbox in their room. I closed the hatch and climbed back up the ladder and into the sunlight. Closing the top hatch, I went to over to another hatch, which went down a little further into the house than the last one. I opened the hatch to see Alice's room below me, with the girls happily chatting and doing eachother's nails. Smiling, I closed the hatch and went back up to the roof.

Two more hatches left, and I bet I knew where they went. To the adult's rooms. This house was bvery starnge. A tree growing in my room, hatches that lef from the roof to all the master bedrooms... very strange. The house was too tall for burgalers, so maybe as a way to get from one room to another? Maybe in case of an emergency like a fire or hurricane? I may never know, but it was fun to guess.

Satisfied, I climbed back down the tree in my room and dropped to the floor behind Edward. He had apparently heard, or sensed, me and turned around with a smile on his face. I hugged him and sat down on the carpet. Before I explained to him what I had seen, I had the sudden urge to look under the carpet. I grabbed fluffed up patch of carpet and liften it slightly, noticing it wasn't atached to anything but the corners of the room. I went to one of the corners and pulled the edge out of the side of the wall and pulled back the carpeting.

Just as I had thought. Under the carpet was soil, the reason the tree is alive in my room. The branch leading out was just one of it's overgrown branches. As I was glancing at the tree, I felt something stir in the dirt beneath my fingertips. I pulled my hand back and watched with amazement as a patch of grass appeared there, luscious and green. The more carpet I pulled back, the more grass grew in its wake. Soon a good protion of the room was no longer carpet, but a nice soft grass bedding.

I went to all the corners and unhooked the rug, rolling it up and stepping out to set the huge thing in the hallway. Glancing back through the open door, I saw grass had already grown all over the room. It was short and green in some places, in others it was tall and swaying. I watched with amazement as the floor of my room grew a huge number of beautiful plants and grasses and flowers, springing up in harmonized locations.

I smiled. I loved the way my room looked now. Like the wilderness itself. It felt like a true welcome home girft, as if I would see Jake and the packs walkng by and see Lecio hopping through the short grass, while the other animals ran around in harmony. It felt like home to me now.

Glancing down at the carpet, I knew it couldn't stay here. Grabbing the huge thing, I carried it carefully down the hallways and stairs until I was in the front room. Esme and Carmen were working on blueprints in there. They both glanced up when they saw me enter. They both looked very puzzled.

Esme pointed at the roll in my hands. "Is that the carpet from your room?" she asked.

I nodded my head. "Yup. It wasn't attached to the floor, and when I pulled it back my room began to change. I don't want it to change back. after I get rid of this, you should come and see it." I told them. I went to the kitchen and out the side door that led into the garage. I placed the carpet roll securely in the far back corner of the garage. Feeling satisfied, I went back in. Esme and Carmen were waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. We climbed up and up until we had reached the door to my room. I stopped them there, opening the door for them. They stood there speechless,and I just smiled.

My room had completely transformed to look like the forest now. Grasses and wild plants of strange beauty and sized and colors were all around the room. My furniture had become part of the inner forest itself, and I noticed a few much smaller trees had sprouted in my time away. Completely at ease, and feeling quite chipper, I danced around my room and laughed. As I laughed, a bunch of colorful parrots flew out of one of the colorful trees and circled overhead before plunging outside. I smiled brightly at them before turning to see Esme and Carmen's reactions.

Esme was going around, touching a bunch of the plants and glancing up at the animals in the trees. She seemed to be trying to believe this was real, and was failing to do so. Carmen, on the other hand, was going around and smiling up at the animals she saw. She glanced over a tme, and I could see her joy covering her surprise. Esme seemed to finally be accepting it, and was glancing up at one of the colorful parrots. She shrugged and asked "Any more suprises you found in the house today?"

I laughed and nodded my head at her. she lifted her eyebrows questionably, and I waved my hand for them to follow me. I led them all the way down to Alice's room, and all the girls glanced up when they heard the door open and said many cheerful "Hello!"s. I walked around Alice's room, trying to pinpoint exactly where the hatch was. I knew that I only had to push on it and it would open. When I found the spot I saw it was near the corner of her room, just in front of her dresser.

I grabbed one of Alice's chairs and stood on top of it, and pushed on the ceiling, revealing the trap door when the ceiling opened. I climbed up and found a small throw-down ladder up here. I tossed it down and everyone climbed up behind me. I led them all up to the roof where they could see my tree sticking out of my room and all the other hatches. Alice walked curiously over to one and pulled the hatch up. Glancing down, I knew it was the hatch that led to Emmett's room. Grinning mischeviously, I held up a finger for them to be quiet and went down into the hatch. They stayed up top to watch me.

I opened the hatch and saw the boys were talking as they were playing Xbox. I stiffled a giggle when I noticed they were, again, talking about us. I motioned with my finger above my head for Alice to come down too, though the others stayed up there. She stuck her head through the hole with me and we listened to the boys talking. Jasper was talking.

"Alice is such a little sugar. She can be sweet and cute, but a fiesty little thing when she wants to be. That's why I love that devilish litle pixie." he said laughing. The boys laughed too, and Alice just had to say it.

"Aww, I love you too hun!"

The boys heads swiveled around, and me and Alice were having problems stiffling our giggles of amusement. They didn't see anything, and they even checked outside the door, to see us not there. They closed the door and Jasper shrugged. They sat down to play Xbox again.

Jasper shook his head back and forth and said "Dang, it sounded like she was right in here with us. Crazy little pixie, how'd she do it this time?"

"She had my help of coarse." I stated proudly. The boys glanced around again in confusion, pausing their game and looking under the bed and in the closet. I could barely hold my laughter in any more. All it took was for Alice and I to take one look at eachother and we busted out laughing. We pounded our feet and fists and cracked up. As soon as we started laughing all the boys looked up at the ciling and saw us hanging there laughing. All their mouths were hanging wide open, which only made us laugh harder.

When our fits of amusement had subsided, I said "You might want to close your mouthes before a bug flies into it." I told them. They all closed their mouths and emmett shook his head back and forth, saying "Impossible."

I cut it "Oh but it is possible brother dearest, hence the fact that we are currently hanging out of your ceiling."

He glanced up past us and saw everyone else standing up on the roof and they smiled and waved mockingly. Then they started laughing, which made Alice and I laugh too. Then Emmett asked the most obvious question. "How'd you all get up there?"

As I explained to him the series of ladders and hatches in the house, he seemed to understand. At last I waved goodbye to them and closed the hatch before they could try and ask any more questions. Aice and I climbed back onto the roof, and I told everyone where their rooms were. Everyone but Edward and I descended back down into Alice's room to go back to what they were doing before. As the hatch closed, I turned my gaze up towards the sky.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 17**

Edward wrapped his arm snugly around my waist, and I wrapped my arm around his as I gazed into the clouds, thinking. I was considering going up into the clouds to fly around, feel the air on my face and the clouds shifting around me once again. But I shook my head. That's not what I wanted right now. If I were to fly, it could not be without Edward. However insignificant it seemed, my Edward could have died today.

Sighing deeply, I swiveled my head to glance at Edward for a moment, who was staring up at the clouds, deep in thought as well. I grabbed his arm from around my waist and slowly unwound it, keeping my hand in his. I then sat down on the roof and pulled him slowly down with me. We both lay back, me on his chest again, and gazed up at the clouds. We watched in silence for a while, before I glanced up higher and saw one with a familiar shape.

I laughed, pointing, and said "That one looks like a bunny!" Edward laughed too and looked to see where I was pointing.

"Well that one looks like an elephant." he told me, pointing at a really big one. I giggled and looked around to find another one.

"That one looks like a deer!" I pointed.

Then he pointed "That one looks like a lion."

"There's a bear!"

"And a butterfly!"

"Look, over there is an alligator!"

"There's a bird - wait, that one's real." he said, laughing. I laughed too and we spent the next hour pointing out pictures in the clouds. When the sky began to grow darker we watched the sunset in eachother's arms until it dissapeared behind the horizon. We got up and stretched before going to the top branches of my tree sticking out of the roof so we could climb down. I saw Edward struggling to find decent branches and hand-holds for him to use. I would need to teach that boy to climb some time soon.

I held out my hand to him as he held on to the last remaining branch, which was still high enough up to make him nervous. Seeming relieved, he accepted my hand and I helped pull him down from the tree, using a little more strengththan necessary. As a result, when his feet landed I started fall-stepping backwards until I hit the bed and fell back on the mattress, pulling a laughing Edward with me. He rolled up so he was on top of me and was staring into my eyes. HE had slightly raised himself up though, and I was having none of that. I slowly reached up and took hold of his upper arms and began to slowly pull them down to the mattress on either side of me.

He hummed in contentment as he lowered himself carefully onto my stomach and rested his forehead on mine, staring deep into my eyes, as if for all the world he was gazing into my soul. And I gazed right back, seeing my Edward's shining soul begin to light up with an all too familiar heat. I watched as the orange heat, so much like a fire, began to slowly spread out from his inner soul to his heart, then his chest and arms. It went all the way down to his feet, and continued to slowly climb up towards his beautiful face. I watched as it consumed his entire body, and watched as his eyes darkened noticably.

I could feel my own eyes darken much the same as well. Edward slowly leaned foward and hovered his lips teasingly just above my own, but I couldn't get to them. I could smell his sweet breathe and waited in agony as he just hung there. Finally, after waiting for what felt like the limit to me, I decided to turn the tables on him before he could blink. I slipped my hands up so they were resting on his raised chest, and with a solid push sent him rolling off of me and onto the mattress in suprise. I quickly rolled on top of him myself, and decided to tease him a little too.

I lowered myself down onto his chest gently, and agonizingly slowly and heard him groan in frustration "Beellllaaa". I smirked and then rested my lips on his neck, just below his ear, and began kissing down and up his neck slowly, letting my tongue out during each small kiss. Edward growled lowly when I kissed the sensative area just below his earlobe, then proceeded up to his jawline. I kissed all along his jaw and then over to his nose, where I let my lips linger. I then slowly moved my lips down to make them hover above his, letting my breathe fill his senses. Apparently it was becoming too much for Edward, and he began to growl.

I sighed "Oh Edward, whatever am I going to do with you?" I asked him, still teasing.

"You could always have your way with me; I wouldn't tease you so often then." he sggested.

"Oh really?" I asked him teasingly.

"Yup." he said, like it was so simple that way.

I pretended to ponder this, humming lowly as I did and said "Well, I'd say there's two options. Option A, I get my way with you tonight after a moonlight walk down the beach, or Option B, I just get to sit here and tease you all day. Which would you rather have?" I asked him slowly, deliberately.

He didn't even bother pretending to think about it, simply said "I like the first one, let's go with that." he said fervently. I noticed with a glance out of the corner of my eye that it was already dark; good timing Bella.

I shrugged my shoulders and said "Alright, but that means you still have to wait at least an hour for the moon to rise, and then for us to have our little walk. Let's hope you're patient then." I told him. He groaned in frustration.

"Why do you torture me so much Bella?" he asked. I wrapped my arms snugly around his neck and whispered in his ear.

"Because it's too much fun for me to resist the chance." I said. I felt the tension of having sat here so long without kissing him building up inside of me and thought_ why don't I tease him just a tad bit more?_ Edward groaned, having heard my thoughts and I smirked. My smirk faded as the longing for his kiss got bigger, deeper. Finally I thought _Fine, to hell with the teasing._ And crashed my lips to his roughly, fervently. It took that one moment for Edward to realize how much the suspense had been killing me as well, and unleashed all his fire on his kissing.

I begged him for entrance and he granted me, fighting for dominance with his tongue as his arms took on a posessive hold on me. I pulled his shirt up over his head, needing to feel his skin and muscles underneath my fingertips. He apparently needed the same thing, seeing as he pulled my shirt up over my head as well as his hands began exploring my stomach and back. I traced the contours of his strong chest with my hands and continued kissing him with that fire from deep within me. After a couple minutes of this, my fire retreated, storing itself away for when it knew it would be needed later.

Edward's fire wasn't so tame as mine. His was still raging in him unmercifully. I used my mind to convince his fire to recede back enough that Edward would be sensible and yet still overly posessive; just the way I liked him. I then disentangled myself from him and looked him squarely in the eye saying "Now you get to wait." He groaned in frustration and flopped back onto the mattress. In a pleading tone he said "can we just postpone the walk until after, and you can have your way with me now?" He didn't ask. He _pleaded._ I thought of taking pity on him before smiling impishly.

"Well if you want that, you have to wait at least a little bit. Why don't you go downstairs and watch T.V. for a bit? I have something I need to discuss with Alie first." His face lit up like a kid on Christmas as he heard me say 'Alice'. I knew what he was thinking too. The last time we got involved with Alice, it had been the best night of our lives. I jumped up from him and pulled my shirt back over my head, tossing his to him. I then walked slowly up to him and wrapped m arms around his neck.

"See you in an hour hun?" I asked him. He nodded slowly, his eyes still sprakling. I reached up to give him one final kiss and skipped out of the room and downstairs to Alice's doorway. I knocked politely and heard the 'come in!' from Alice and all the girls in there. I opened the door to see them all doing eachother's hair while Alice picked out outfits, and I asked "What's going on?"

Alice answered "we're planning another big suprise for the guys tonight. We went up to get you ten minutes ago, but noticed you were occupied, so we figured you'd come down here evntually." she said in a matter-of-fact tone. I blushed slightly and laughed quietly a little.

"So what's the plan? Are we skipping straight to the bedroom or are we going to take them outside and tease them a bit first? Because personally I'd rather let them sit for a while. They're always much more fun after they've had to sit and stare at us." I told them in another matter-of-fact tone. Alice popped he mouth open in shock.

"Wow Bella, I never knew you were so impish, cruel, and at the same time smart. you sound like Rose now, and she's the real expert here." Alice said, nodding in Rose's direction. "Any suggestions?" she asked me.

I thought about it for a minute before saying "Twister, only it has to be a HUGE trister board. We can lay that oversized twister tarp I have outside in the sand by the water and wear our sexiest swimsuits. Whadd'ya say girls?" I asked them all. They all nodded their approval and opened the door. All the guys were downstairs, waiting impatiently for our appearances.

"All right boys!" Alice yelled. "Get your swimsuits on! We're going to play super twister on the beach out front! Set up the SuperTwister tarp right next to the water's edge and we'll be down in a few minutes!" she yelled. The boys all scrambled into action, and Alice shut the door before they could see us girls getting ready in here.

Alice went into full scheming mode and got our stuff out and ordered the girls what to do about hair and makeup. "Bella" she asked, "can you make makeup from some oils that will make us look beautiful without draining your powers, and so our makeup wont come off in the water?" After a moment's thought, I went into Alice's bathroom to look at her supplies.

"Yes," I answered her, "but I need some lilac too. I'll go get it and be back before you have time to miss me. Get everyone ready and in theire swimsuits for when I get back. This makeup will take only seconds to put on." I told her. I walked out to her balcony and flew up into the air, having summoned my wings as I stepped off into the abyss of air and earth below me.

I flew over the treetops and used my senses to find a lilac patch for me to use. When I spotted one, I dedicated it's location to my mind and swooped down to grab a handful of them, swopping back into the air without a moment's hesitation. I flew as fast as I could without making me tired to Alice's balcony window. I hopped down off the ledging and ran into her bathroom. I quikcly prepared the mixture I would need and when it was done it was a soft purple powder.

I walked slowly back int Alice's bedroom. The girls were all set, except for their makeup. I started at Alice and went down the line, gently blowing a small puff of the purple powder onto their faces. When I was done, I inhaled the powder from my palm and took a deep, steadying breath. When I opened my eyes and looked at the girls faces, I gasped in supries. They were more beautiful than any makeup could ever make them look. They all opened their eyes and started giggling. I quickly changed into a swimsuit; chocolate brown with white swirls and flowers on it.

When Alice deemed us ready, we all huddled by the door. Alice stuck her head out and yelled "You boys better be ready!" she quickly shut the door as all the boys came scurrying down the stairs to wait for us at the bottom. Alice decided for once against her usual appearance show. She decided we'd all go down together and simply slide past the boys teasingly. I peeked around the corner so fast that the guys didn't see me and reported their positions to Alice like an officer in an army.

She organized us so we'd be able to rub against our boyfriend as we walked past them and we began to file down the stairs as one big group. The look on their faces couldn't have been better. Their mouthes dropped open simultaniously and Emmett whistled, while my sensative hearing picked up Edward distinctive low growling. I had to admit, we looked hot. We walked slowly down the stairs, and when we reached the bottom we fanned out a little more to reach our boyfriends. I swayed my hips as I walked past Edward so that one of my sways woulds rub up against him suggestively. He wrapped his arm around my waist, but I easily spun out of it with a twirl and impish laughter.

I could see Edward trying to bite back another growl and watched as his eyes went nearly black with his lust. The other girls had pretty much the same thing, even Kara and Tanya, who were starting to like the idea of their boyfriends being posessive. I could tell by the looks Kara and Seth gave eachother that they would be a happy pair tonight, and by the looks of it Tanya and Brady might get there before them if they didn't seperate quickly. The girls formed back up and proceeded out the front door and into the sand with our bare feet feeling its softness.

I opened a quick mental link between the girls and we all silently squeeled with delight, lust, and anticipation. The boys had waited inside for a moment in a huddle, speaking lowly and furiously, trying not to catch our attention. I sharpened my hearing and heard Emmett speaking quietly.

"I won't last long if they keep playing this game; anybody got any ideas?" he asked glancing around.

Edward whispered "we tease them back; full force. Show off, show some muscle and skill, be posessive, but when they try to touch you, stay just out of their reach." he told them. They all nodded their heads and came out to join us with smiles on their faces.

I groaned internally. I _hated_ it when Edward teased me; he was just so good at it! I told the girls what I had overheard of their plan, and Alice schemed quickly. She said keep the original plan, but take everything to the extreme or flirtiness, sexy, and teasing. Everyone mentally nodded their heads, and the game of twister began. The boys had brought out a sterio and began pleying upbeat music when the game started. We had a little machine to tell us the colors so no one would have to spin and we could all play.

Everyone stood in position; girls oposite of the guys. The first color was called; right hand green, and all the girls slowly slunk down into a half crouch with our hand on green. The next was right foot yellow. The girls slunk again so they were croched on their right side, and we were all close to eachother. The guys were using their muscles to make them look buff and Emmett had even winked at Rose to shake her balance. She stayed firm though, and simply blew him a kiss.

This continued on for about ten minutes of relentless bending, twisting, and making room for others. Coincidentally, I ended up underneath of Edward, trying to make sure he didn't make me fall. I smriked mischeviously, and raised my butt up a little to brush him and swayed in my spot. Edward was struggling not to grab me then, and whispered "beelllaaa" as if he were in agony.

"Yes dear?" I asked him sugar-sweetly, though I knew he wasn't fooled.

"For the love of - THAT should be illegal." he said, glancing down at me, his head sideways. I simply raised my eyebrows suggestively and rubbed my butt against him again. He growled, and I could tell he was thinking. "Fine!" he burst out. "I won't tease you, just please, it's gonna push me over Bella. I'm about to take you right here if you don't stop." he growled warningly.

"Really? I'd like to see you try that one out." I told him smugly.

He growled again, louder this time, and used his left hand and wrapped it around my waist. He then moved his arm up and down, and then put it over my breasts. I moaned in longing and began to share his pain.

"I've got an idea. I vote you and I forfeit and go inside for a bit..." I never finished my snetance because the air was suddenly knocked out of me as Edward fell down on me. I looked accusingly up into his eyes, but he only smirked, eyes still dark with the lust. He made me lose, but then I noticed with satisfaction that he had too. Ha!

Alice laughed and said "Edward got both of you out Bella! You guys are the first one to lose!" she laughed. I laughed too, though in my mind I thought to Alice _It was intentional Pixie; I have other things to do, unlike you at the moment. I suggest trying to find a way to change that. See you tomorrow!_ I smiled at her and saw her mouth in an 'O' of outrage and shock, before she became thoughtful. A wickedly unfair smile spread slowly over her lips.

Edward and I walked hand in hand inside, seemingly slowly, as if we weren't rushed about anything. As soon as the door closed behind us however, I picked Edward up and used my speed to shoot us up the stairs and hallways and into our room. I shut and locked the door behind us as I set Edward down, and without any hesitation I jumped up, wrapping my legs around him, and attacked his lips with my own. He fought back just as fiercely, and then walked backwards until we fell back on the bed.

I ran my hands over his bare chest and practically relished in his body. He took off my swimsuit top in one fluid movement and began rubbing his thumbs over my hardened peaks. I continued to kiss him rubbed my hands along his chest. I wrapped my arms around his solidly, in my head thinking _And he's allll mine_. I could tell Edward was thinking exactly the sam thing. That's when I got an idea.

I slid my hands down his chest and to the top of my swimsuit trunks, pulling them down as my hands slid through. I pulled them off and threw them in a random direction, not caring. I raised back up from Edward chest and looked at him, letting my eyes take it all in. There he lay beneath me, a god of perfection in my mind. I placed my hands back on his chest and rubbed them up and down his chest before sliding them lower and lower. I began rubbing his member and watched his eyes roll in the back of his head from pleasure. I ran my hadns up and down constantly.

Afterwards I let go and could tell he wanted it back already. I lowered myself down again, planting a kiss on his chest. I kissed down his chest and across his stomach to his member and took him in my mouth. Edward moaned from pure pleasure as I began bobbing my head up and down his cock. Then I began to swirl my tongue around him as I came up and went back down. Edward continually moaned my name in ecstacy. After a long while, I finally pulled back out and away to look Edward straight in the eye. He had nothing but please, lust, and love there.

My eyes held the same.

I then stood up above him, and very seductively pulled my swimsuit bottoms down, ever so slowly. When they were finally off, I flocked them away with my feet and lowered myself to just above Edward. I held myself at the ready, with his point neaarly touching my sntrance, but I went no further. I smiled wickedly and used my right hand to hold myself up as I used my left to hold Edward down. He kept trying to buck up to get in me, but I held him there. He was panting with need by then.

"Bella, plleeaasseee." was what he moaned to me. I lowered myself an inch further so I was touching him, but still didnt allow him entrance. His eyes went even blacker than before, but suddenly his motive changed at the lat second, and he pulled my dwon on top of him. We moaned eachother's names in unison as he entered me and I sheathed him fully. I then decided the pleasure was far better than the teasing, and began going up and down with him inside me. We both fell over the edge together and I unsheathed him and opted for laying on his chest with his warm, strong arms wrapped around me.

I snuggled into his warmth and noticed with a shock that I was humming in content, and I hadn't even noticed it. I hummed louder and my hum seemed to fill the entire room. I lifted my head to gaze at Edward, until I noticed he had already been staring at me. I smiled.

"I love you Edward." I told him.

"I love you too Bella." he told me, pressing his lips firmly against mine. I kissed him back with a smile still on my lips. As we pulled apart, and I again layed my head on his chest, I thought of my love for Edward.

I loved him so much, and I thought of how it would literally kill me to be serperated from him for too long. It was then I understood how he must have felt on those nights I had to fly off for some air and to help people. i thought of how I would have felt in that situation and I flinched. Ouch.

Edward's thoughts broke me out of my reverie. _Yes, it felt that way. I feel the same way about you Bella. Every time you're away, it's hard just to stand up, let alone sleep._ I nodded my understanding.

"Let's have no more of these dark thoughts. Tonight is about us together, not apart. I promise, I'll never seperate myself from you like that agin, with the exception of scheming with the girls." I giggled. He chuckled a low laugh too.

"Hmm" I hummed in deep thought. I then took Edward by suprise by tickling the life out of him, His laughter echoed around the room as I showed him no mercy. He laughed nonstop and tried to get away before he got a twinkle in his eyes.

"Uh-oh." I said. He grinned and flipped us over so her way above me and pinned my arms above my head with one of his, as his other hand practically tickled the life out of me. I squirmed and tried to escape without success. Finally, I focused on my hands and made them split so I could grab Edward hands in one of mine, and grab the other with my other. He then tried to pull his hands away, but without success. Finally he seemed to give up, and I laughed in triumph.

but he wasnt done. Instead of trying to get free, he relaxed his muscles and I automatically let go of his hands as he held my face with them softly. He cradled my face in his hands and brushed a strand of hair away from my eyes before leaning in to kiss me. I tangled my fingers into his soft, messy hair and kissed him softly, slowly. There was no raging fire this time; just simple want to kiss eachother.

As he pulled back, I twisted him around slowly so that he was laying down beside me, and I used his hard chest as a very comfy pillow. I fell asleep almost instantly, and was greeted with the wall of fog of my dreams. I saw the dorrway in the wall again and stepped through it. Edward was softly brushing through my hair with his hand, knowing I was asleep. He stared up at the top tree branches, trying to see any stars.

After a moment though, he glanced down at me in concern, and even in my spirit soul shape, I heard his thoughts clearly.

_Something isn't right. Is she breathing, or moving at all? Is she okay? Please, not my Bella!_ His thoughts started to go into panic.

_Edward. Look up Edward, I'm still here, don't cry honey. Please don't cry. I can't bear to see your grief when there's no need for it._ I told him in whisper-like quality. His head immediately shot up and he glanced around for me frantically. I tried to solidify my form so he'd be able to see me better. His eye must have caught the movement, because he stared and saw me standing there, though he could see straight through me.

"Not dead. Please not dead my love." he whispered pleadingly. I laughed a laugh that soundd like the wind through the trees and the songs of the birds.

"Of coarse not. This is my spirit, my soul. I walked out of my dream to watch you go to sleep, while still resting my body. Now sleep my love. Awaken to the morning sunshine and my love will be stronger than before." I told him soothingly. He immediately began to feel sleep overwhelming him, and he snuggled down to my body and fell asleep. I smiled and pulled the covers up to cover us and began tidying up the room without making a sound.

Wen it was clean as could be, I slipped back into my body, to sleep through the night. I made sure I would wake up when the sun did the next morning, to start a whole new day.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**Chapter 18**

As the day began to dawn, the birds in the tree above me began to sing out joyously. They were fairly quiet about it, though I could tell they did this every morning, to greet each new day. I touched the stone on my neck and became a miniture parrot, bright and colorful as peacock, and flew to the top of the tree to greet the sunshine with all the other birds. As sunrise began to get past its first appearance, the birds began chatting again and I flew back down the tree to my love, still sleeping peacefully.

I slipped back into human form and back into my spot in Edward's arms. He shifted slightly, and was on the brink of coming back into the waking world. I rolled on top of him softly and whispered in his ear "The sun is up love. It'sa time to start a new day. Wake up my love." I told him softly.

He began to wake up then, and I watched as his eyes fluttered open and stared into their green depths. Edward was completely refreshed and awake, but in a slow peaceful way. I stared into the very soul through his eyes and leaned in to give him a very soft kiss. He kissed me back passionately, and wrapped his arms around me. My arms wrapped around his neck and fiddled with his hair. As we broke apart, I continued to play with his soft messy hair, simply staring into those eyes. I could stare at them all day and never get tired of it.

Finally I sighed and pulled away from him, getting out of bed to get dressed in something for the day. I chose a pair of light blue short short jeans, and then got a saphire blue shirt that stopped above my belly button that said "**I'm one of the freaks; Deal with it**." I put on a light jacket over it that started with a dark woodsy green, and eventually turned into a deep brown. The jacket was overly light and airy; perfect for the beach and woods around here. I slipped on a pair of borwn tennis shoes to match my outfit and brushed through my hair until it was soft.

After I was done it shined in the sunlight. I smiled at myself in the mirror, put my brush down, and turned around to see Edward sitting up in bed, watching me. Just watching me. I got up and walked over to him, climbing onto the bed without taking my eyes off of him. His eyes never left mine. I put my hands on either side of his face and kissed him softly, sweetly, just once. I pulled back and looked into his eyes, and said "Come on sleepyhead. The day isn't going to wait for you."

Edward laughed at that and got up to get dressed. He wore a pair of beige capries and a dark brown shirt that siad "**We freaks don't enjoy being stared at, just a heads up.**" I laughed when I saw it, and he laughed too. He was also wearing his brown tennis shoes. I grabbed his hand and led him downstairs quietly, so as not to wake anybody. I knew we were the only ones awake, since nobody else awoke with the sun as I did. Edward and I went into the kitchen to get some breakfast. He ate a bowl of cereal, and I munched on, my favorite, a green apple.

We ate in silence for a while, side by side with our arms touching. It was a very quiet morning, with the mists hanging around the house. I got up and threw the apple remains out back for the animals as Edward washed his bowl and spoon. When he was done, he went to stand in front of the back door and stare at the woods in deep thought. I came up behind him and wrapped my arms around his strong chest, laying my head on his back and sneakily breathing in his scent.

He turned around in my arms so I was hugging him in a way that he could hug me back. He held me tightly, as if to say he would never let me go. I pulled back slightly to look up into his green eyes, and immediately got lost in them. Like a magnet, they pulled me in. I kissed Edward lovingly for a minute, and that minute turned into five, which turned into ten minutes of nonstop kissing, which had eventually heated up. Finally, I pulled away practically gasping for air.

"One of these days, all those kisses will make the death of me Edward." I told him. He only laughed and bent down to kiss me some more, cupping my face with his large hands. I kissed him back equally and then pulled away with a small smile on my lips. I grabbed Edward's hand and led him out into the backyard to sit in the shade of a tree. As I rested against it's trunk with Edward at my side, I thought of what to do for the day. Cliff diving sounded interesting, though I was torn between it and simply walking on the beach. Then I got an idea. Horseback riding on the beach sounded perfect for the entire family.

Edward, having had his arm around me to get access to my thoughts, heard the idea and agreed it sounded fun. I sat back and closed my eyes, relying on my senses. I searched out for a horse of some kind, one that lived in a barn or ranch. at last I found a large grouping of stables, obviously for visitors to the area to take the horses out and ride them. I called on one of the stallions and asked him about the horseback riding, and asked if he knew 17 other horses besides himself that were strong and carefree, but not too wild, along with a pony.

He quickly talked to the other horses in the stables and said they had 17 who wrere willing to go, and a pony that had also volutneered. The horse gave me the number to the stables and I pulled out my cellphone to call. The old man who answered was very kind and patient, and understood when I told him I'd like to pick out the horses for my family to use, and for me to help get them ready. He assumed i was a horseback rider on vacation and quickly agreed.

I hung up with him after saying we'd be there at about ten; an hour and a half to wake everyone, get them breakfast, and get them dressed and ready to go. I grabbed Edward's hand and led him into the kitchen, telling him to sit in a stool at the island. He sat, and I pulled out cold fruits, milk, orange juice, toast, and eggs and had it all ready in ten minutes. After I had set out the table for everybody, I mentally woke everyone up with a cheerful and very loud "Good morning! Get downstairs to eat breakfast, then get ready for the day. We've got horseback riding!"

Nobody seemd truly groggy after a few minutes. They began to wake and I could feel everyone's exitement beginning to overwhelm me at their eagerness to horseback ride. I grabbed the sides of my head in my hands and focused on blocking it out so I could have some peace. I sighed in relief after it worked.

Everybody began to come down in pairs for breakfast, all awake and practically radiating happiness. I giggled as Alice bouncd up and down. Everybody ate their breakfast with much chatter, and then went up to their rooms to get ready. Since Edward and I were already set, I worked on putting all the dishes in the dishwasher. When the kitchen was once again spotless, I nodded in approval and went to sit on the couch in the living room. Edward sat next to me, putting his arm around my shoulders. I rested my head on his shoulders and relaxed.

After about ten minutes, the guys came down, fully dressed and awake. Five minutes after that, all the girls came down ready. Then the parents, followed by Lizzy, came downstairs to join the rest of us. After we made sure everyone was ready, we walked out to the garage and got the cars. I got my red Ducati and Hummed in pleasure when she roared to life and started purring. Edward hopped on the back and wound his arms around my waist snugly, kissing the back of my neck. I giggled and, after making sure everyone was in a car and it was fired up, led the way to the ranch.

It took us ten minutes to get there, so we arrived at ten on the dot. When I pulled up edward, reluctantly it seemed, let go of my waist and hopped off. I grabbed his hand and we walked to the gates of the ranch. Standing there waiting was the old man I had talken to earlier, Jack. Jack showed Edward and I around while the others waited for me to get our horses. As we walked around, I looked for the black stallion I had spoken to earlier. He neighed when he heard my voice in the stables, and I walked calmly to the end stable where he stood, eyeing me.

_Greetings fellow herd-runner. I am Faran._ He told me respectively. I bowed to him and said "Call me Bella." He nodded his head in a very comical way and I laughed. He neighed a laugh too, and I grabbed a halter and lead rope to put on im. I opened his stall and he stood there petiently, letting me put the halter on him.

As I led him into the open, he said "That there is Night. He's a pretty tough one to handle; you sure you wanna use him?" he asked uncertainely. I glanced at Faran and he shrugged inconspicously, saying _I didn't like the other types of people he would put on my back, so I got rid of them. He's left me alone more often now._ I chuckled under my breath. Turning my attention back to the man, I said "He'll do just fine."

The man nodded and led the horse away. Meanwhile, Faran had told me the real names of all the horses and the pony that would be joining us. As I called their names aloud, one would stamp it's hoof to the floor to get my attention, and I'd let it out with a halter to give to Edward. After a minute, Jack came back and grabbed the six horses I had already pulled out. I proceeded to search until I had pulled out all the horses and the little pony.

All the horses were lined up next to eachother outside, tied up but content. I told everyone to line up I let the horses choose who they wanted to ride them in order. Alice got a spotless white mare; Jasper a Buckskin stallion; Emmett a black/blue roan; Rosalie a palamino mare; I had faran, while Edward had a dapple gray stallion, and Lizzy had her little palamino pony. Everyone else's horses were variations of browns, bays, and whites.

After every horse had a rider, we set out to get the tack listed under their given names. Once evryone had their tack, we saddled our horses, and then let them into a pen without theirn halters so they could walk around for aminute. Then we all went in their with our bridles and with our hardhats on, and bridled our horses. After that, we took turns using the mounting block to get into our horses saddles, except for me. I simply climbed into my saddle as if I'd done that my entire life.

Once everybody was ready, Faran and I became the leaders of the herd, and set out at a brisk trot into the morning sunshine. As we came upon an open meadow, I told everyone how to ride at a canter, how to lean foward in their saddles like a duck. They did as they were told, and the horses immediately picked up a canter. We cantered across the open meadow and began to change into a gallop, where everyone understood to sit back in their saddles and enjoy the ride. Edward and his mare rode right next to me, and we both cast a look at eachother and laughed.

What a thrill it was to ride! We were all having the time of our lives. As we began to near the shade of the trees again, I noticed with my peripheral vision that a large herd of deer were bounding out of the trees alongside us. The deers bounded into our herd and easily fell into the pettern of running with us, bounding over the tall grasses with ease.

As we began to near the forest's edge, a tall and muscular buck bounded foward alongside me urgently, saying _Something lurks in those shadows. Turn the herd aside to safety. They will soon be after us; hurry!_ he said, and bounded to the side, with me hot on his tail. The herd swung sharply to the right and followed the lead buck and Faran who had no trouble maintaining lead.

As we swung, i detected a pair of dark eyes blending into the forest shadows staring at us, and noticed that they didn't look friendly. Faran must have seen them too, because he began to sprint ahead of the deer, and the herd followed as my family tried to hold onto their charging horses.

Lizzy seemed to have no problems riding her pony at breakneck speed through the lush grasses, keeping at ease the whole time, and being blissfully unaware.

I kept a sharp gaze to our side as we became level with the forest and could detect movement following our swift run as we passed each shadow. When the heard had evened out, i swung Faran to the right again, more sharply this time. He whickered in suprised and turned sharp, everyone barely managing to follow without tumbling off. After we made our sharp turn, I could sense the dark creatures' anger directed at us. I flinched at the magnitude at it, and continually watched over my shoulder for anything in pursuit.

Just as we got near the center of the meadow, I began to relax more, assuming that being in the open like this would ensure more safety. It didn't.

The horses softened to a canter, and then stopped suddenly as Faran came to a halt. I gazed quetionably at him, and noticed his muscles were tense and his eyes were wide and wild, darting to and fro. The deer had also stopped, and had much the same stance. Lizzy began to ask a question, but I shushed her, listening. I heard the soft sound of padded feet moving through the undergrowth of the forest's edge, about 100 meters away, and new we were trapped.

"Brady, Seth, form up!" I shouted, vaulting off Faran's back and into the lush grasses. Brady and Seth quickly shrugged out of their clothes and shifted into their wolf forms. I shifted on the fly from my horse's back. When my feet hit the ground, they were oversized paws of brutal force. I howled into the afternoon air and snarled loudly.

In my mind I shouted out to the heads of the enemies in the forest shadows _Show yourself or dissapear from here. If you try to touch anyone in theis herd, we WILL kill you. Now either back off or come out and face us, you cowards!_ I shouted at them. I sensed hesitation at first, before a large pride of leopards came out from the shadows to stalk accross the field. The largest one was in the head.

The largest one, the leader, stopped ten feet from us and let out a warning growl. I unleashed one of my own and held my head high. I was at least three times larger than he was, being what I was. I waited for the head leopard to speak, and when he did he spoke aloud through a serious of snarles and growls. Though I knew the humans wouldn't understand, the deer, horses and I understood him perfectly.

"What are you doing on our territory? For you are not humans who walk along during the warm season, but are obviously of a pack, coming to invade. I am Spottedstar, leader of LeopardClan, and I call upon you for trespassing on clan territory." he said in a voice that spoke of authority.

I held my head high as my voice rang out over the field. "We were unaware that we were trespassing on your clan's territory, and beg apology. we are not here to invade, but are humans here enjoying the warm days. Although some of us are not completely human, we still maintain that perspective. I am Bella, head of my clan, and wish simply to continue the plan set out for today, nothing more." I explained to him.

Leopardstar seemed to think this over, and finally conceded with a nod of his head. "Continue on your day, but do not cross back into our territory again." he told us sternly.

"Might we know the borders of your clan's territory, so we don't accidentally trespass again, and also the borders of any other clans' territories?" I asked him. I didn't want any more mistakes like this one. He nodded his head and quickly told me where all the territories where, giving detailed descriptions about their whereabouts. I thanked him and transformed back into my human self before their eyes, and climbed back onto Faran's back. Seth and Brady got redressed and back into their horses saddles too, and we took off as the leopards slunk back into the trees.

As we galloped across the field, I relayed the conversation in English to everybody else, who were deeply confused. After I explained it to them, they seemed more at ease. we spent the rest of the day horseback riding through the fields and trees, until at about three we realized we should probably send the horses back and go home. Alice and the other girls voted to go siteseeing in the nearby towns, but I decided to stay behind with the boys, who were going cliff diving. Kara stayed back with the boys as well.

As Kara and I got on our swimsuits, she seemed unusually quiet for her. Normally I wouldn't pester her on it, but I was curious.

"You're awfully quiet Kara. You okay?" I asked her innocently. She nodded her head at me and checked herself over in the mirror. I raised a skepticle eyebrow at her, and she blushed slightly.

"I'm fine, really. It's just... I didn't tell anyone about what happened last night, and I'm dying to tell a girl, but you're the only one here and I wasn't sure how you'd take to it." she said in a rush, though I heard it all. I laughed at her and she laughed a little too, though I could see a familiar sparkle in her eyes.

"Then spill girl, we haven't got all day" I told her knowingly. She nodded her head enthusiastically and then began to gush.

"Okay, so last night after you guys left the Twister game, everybody was trying to sabotage eachother. Seth tried to push me down, but I held on, and instead bumped him as he lifted his hand so that he fell over, but he carried me with him into the water and sand. Then we decided to go in, and when I was using a towel to dry off my hair, he came up behind me and kissed me and carried me to the bed and- and it was just so amazing!" she gushed, completely overwhelmed. I smiled knowingly at her.

"I know how that was. Me and Edward pretended like we were going to go inside and do nothing, but as soon as we got in we bolted for it and had the night of our live's." I told her with a dreamy look crossing over my face. She laughed and looped arms with me as we made our finishing touches and went outside to get with the boys for cliff diving. Luckily the house was right next to a line of cliffs, so we didn't have to go far.

When we had all finally climber to the top of the cliffs, everyne except me was out of breath. I waited patiently for everyone to get ready, and then they all stared over the edge of the cliff, unsure now that they were up here. I sighed in exaspiration and crossed my arms. What wimps.

Emmett stepped away from the edge of the precipice and everybody followed him back a few more feet, as if the side would suddenly crumble and take them all down to the water. "Who wants to go first?" he asked. Nobody raised their hands or volunteered, so I sighed in annoyance and said "I'll go."

Emmett eyed me warily and Edward stiffened slightly in fear. I sighed again and walked up to him to give him a hug. In silence I told him _Don't worry. I'll be fine. Just hurry after me, and don't wimp out._ I told him. He nodded his head and let me go. I stepped fowards so it would take me five steps to get to the edge, and sprinted accross the short distance and flung myself far out into the open air, screaming as I fell down.

I watched the water come up towards me in a rush, and I faced it head on with my hands placed together in front of me like a spearpoint, and dived into the water, making a slight splash in my I began to get deeper into the water, I turned around and swam back up to the glowing surface. As I came above the water, I noticed everyone was still up on the cliff, having been waiting for me to resurface.

"Come on! The water feels great; get in!" I shouted to them. Edward shrugged his shoulders and launched himself out into the open air, looking for all the world like a falling angel. I smiled as he came closer, and swam back a few paces for safe measure. He hit the surface of the water in the same way I did, and was soon back in the open air in a matter of seconds. He gasped for air and then glanced up at the group still on the rocks. Emmett still sat there watching, but kara took everyone by suprise by jumping clean off the rocks and far out into the open air, in a perfect dive into the water.

Edward and I swam, laughing from the thrill of the jump, back to the sandy shores. I raced him there, but without using all of my strength. When we got close enough to feel the sand beneath our toes and were nearly out of the water, I jumped at Edward suddenly from behind, wrapping my arms around his torso and pulling him down into the sand, laughing. We both laughed and he took my face in his large hands, smiling and laughing. He brushed a stray strand of hair out of my face and kissed me passionately. I kissed him back for a moment before pulling back with a grin.

"Wow Mr. Cullen, taken down by a girl huh? Shame, shame, shame. I guess you're not as strong as I thought you were." I teased him mischeviously, getting up and pretending to start walking away. I heard Edward jump up from the sand but couldn't hear his footstepsvery well since the sand was muffling them. As I turned around to check, he slammed into me, bringing me back down to the sand and keeping a tight hold on me.

I laughed and he laughed with me, both of us smiling. He pushed another strand of hair away from my face and began to kiss me again. I wound my arms up around his neck and kissed him back, holding him tightly. His arms never lessened their comfortably tight hold on my waist, which I enjoyed immensly.

When he paused for longer than a moment, I began to get up, but he just pulled me right back down into the sand to kiss me yet again. I saw the fire building in him, but noticed it was nothing more than a comforting low burning, not enough to drive to urgent need, just playfulness. I growled playfully at him and he threw his head back in laughter, and I chose that moment to strike. I pushed him with much of my strength so he went tumbling backwards, me with him, until we came to rest on more sand, where he landed on top of me.

I growled playfully at him again and said "Well, you've proven your strength to me Mr. Cullen, but I'm not sure if it's quite enough. I may just have to leave you here in this sand." I told him, still teasing.

He grinned and said "Well I could see your point Miss Swan, except I have one question. How are you going to leave me here in the sand if I keep you here with me?" he asked playfully, and then started tickling the life out of me. I swear I'd never laughed so hard in all my life before. Edward never showed any mercy during his tickle attacks, and I was completely helpless to them. I could think of only one way to get him to stop tickling me.

I raised my hands up to his face and pulled it down to mine to give him a very sudden kiss. The tickling stopped almost immediately, and Edward used his arms to support himself, while still having them behind my head. In the middle of the kiss, I decided to suprise him again and quickly rolled him over so that I was on top and so he was now the one stuck in the sand. When he figured this out he pulled back and i smiled impishly at him.

He eyed me accusingly and said "You've been learning that look from Alice, I just know it." he stated. I laughed and nodded my head at him, and that adorable grin broke out accross his face.

I stood up from him, and offered him my hand to help him out of the sand. As we walked I brushed all the sand off his back and out of his hair, simply because I didn't want it there. He and I walked inside the house and went all the way upstairs to our room. When we entered I noticed that all the animals were more subdues, peaceful even, than they had been before. I shrugged my shoulders at this and went to the base of the tree, staring up at its contents.

I was suprised to find something very different in my tree. There was a new creature there, and all the animals seemed wary of it. I peered closer to see a pair of black eyes staring back at me. It was a bit difficult to see, since it was so deep into the shadows, and after one last glance at it, I froze. I kept a tense stance and told the creature in the tree "Speak or leave. You don't seem very welcome here to the rest of my friends." I told him.

He hissed at me and slunk down the tree to wrap around the bottom branch and stare into my eyes. He was a fairly small green Anaconda, though still plenty large enough to choke the life from me if given the chance. He stared into my eyes and hissed at me again. I beckoned edward over with my finger, not daring to look away, and grabbed his hand as he came near.

The snake eyed the two of us carefully before hissing a message to us. "I am Largescale, leader of the Anacondas of all of Spain. Our kind has always been hunter by you two-leg folk, but never so brutally as now. My kind has gone into hiding from them now, and are dying more of starvation than natural causes. We plead with you to do something about this, for the survival of our kind and the cycle of life in this land."

He finished hissing his message, and slunk away up the tree and down the long connecting branch that was the bridge between my tree and the ground. After he was gone, the birds and squirrels all started chatting again, seeming perfectly at ease. Edward and I glanced at eachother, and nodded our heads in agreement. I hurried to change into some decent clothes, and after edward was dressed as well, I left a note for whoever came inside first and we walked quickly to the garage.

I fired up my Ducati and edward got onto the back, holding onto me tightly. I sped down the road of dirt and past one of the towns in a matter of minutes. Afterwards I headed towards the more grassy areas, and saw one of the atrocious event sof snake hunting right before my eyes. Men walking around with sticks and stakes and poinons of all sorts to kill the anacondas. My eyes turned the pitch black they did when I was angry, and I hopped off my bike with Edward closely behind me.

I came up to the closest local and tapped him on the shoulder. I knew all the locals here spoke Spanish, so I spoke in his native tongue.

"What you're doing here is wrong, and all of you must stop this snake hunting forever, or else parish from what you caused. Can't you see that?" I informed him in a generalizing way. HE shrugged his shoulders at me and replied.

"I don't want these death snakes running around with my children and killing them. I'd sleep better at night knowing my family was safe." he said, and continued his searching.

"I understand why you're doing it, but you need to understand why you shouldnt be. If you kill the snakes, you'll disrupt the balance of nature out here. You can thank yurself when in a year there will be a swelling of rats, bats, mice, bees, and honets stinging and biting your children every day instead of the slight possibility of a snake paying you a visit." I told him sharply, turning around a stalking away.

I began a mental countdown in my head. _5...4...3...2-_

"Wait! You really think that will happen just from killing the snakes." the man ran up behind me and asked fearfully. I nodded my head in assurance. He trembled slightly and yelled to all the other locals to stop killing the snakes, and that he was banning the killing of any snake in this region under penalty of death. Everyone immediately evacuated the field. When the man turned around to face me again, I felt relieved.

The man obviously did too, because he wiped the sweat off his brow and sighed. "That takes care of that. Now I must spread the word to all the surrounding towns. Farewell Miss, and thank you for the advice." he said, bowing. I nodded my head at him as he scurried off after the others.

_Don't go after any of their children and try not to scare ony of them. The locals are decent people, they're just watching out for eachother like you are. Stay low from them, and you'll be fine. I'll know if there's any snake attacks._ I told all the snakes in the area, and they passed on the word. Now both sides of the problem were fixed evenly, and I could rest.

I walked slowly back to my bike with Edward just behind me, worry creasing his brow. I was feeling very weak for some reason, but I didn't want him to see that, so I straightened up and hopped onto my bike, giving him a cheerful smile. Or so it would seem to him. He returned the smile, unwaveringly bright I might add. Unusually bright. I glanced suspiciously at him and he only shrugged his shoulders. Huh.

I revved up my bike and took off down the lane, back home. I was really starting to feel weary now, and it was having great effect on my vision and focus. I slowed the bike down on the side of the road and slowly got off of it, being careful where I stepped. Edward followed looking concerned. I ignored that and simply sat in the cool grass. Within seconds I had fallen asleep.

In my sudden sleep, I had a dream. A very vivid dream, too bright to be a dream. It felt completely real, though things looked a little hazy. Details were harder to make out than usual. I ignored it and focused on what I could see. I saw Alice and the girls out shopping, and I saw them at a resturant of some sort. Alice sent someone a text, and sat down with the girls to be waited upon. After about ten minutes, the girls got up and left after only grabbing a quick bite. They went outside to get in the car, and were suddenly grabbed by large men, who towed them to an alleyway out of sight.

It all faded into darkness, but I saw one blurry shape run after them into the alleyway, being stealthy and blending in. That''s the last thing I saw before I became concious again.

When I came back to the real word, Edward was sitting next to me, stroking my face and hair. My eyes flew open and I sat up slowly, aware of the possibility of a head rush. Edward tried to aid me but I brushed him off.

I stood up slowly, and once my eyes refocused I turned to Edward and looked him square in the eye. "Ride my Ducati, and go to the town of Harmel, 10 miles north of here. I'll get there faster than you, but I just might need you. Go outside the resturant of La Guillos and you'll see Alice's car. I want you to go down the alleyway to the right of the resturant, but be very very careful. I love you." I told him, wrapping my arms around his neck and giving him one furtive kiss.

I ended it quickly and told him "Hurry. We're almost out of time." He nodded grimly and hopped onto my Ducati, taking off. I waited til he was out of sight and turned into my spirit wolf form, howling deeply into the night air. I then began to lope along, gradually picking up speed until to a human all sight would be completely lost, while I saw it in perfect detail. I passed Edward quickly and without a glance, and ran all the way to the small town where Alice and the girls were at.

As I reached the outskirts of the town, I turned human again and felt my phone buzz. Picking it up, I realized it was a text from Alice, suggesting we have a makeover night tonight. I replied saying it sounded fun, and jogged through the city gates.

I jogged down the streets at an irratibly slow human pace, but I didn't want to attract attention. I side-stepped down an alley and turned into a sparrow, flying at a much faster speed. I was soon perched on the roof of the building across from the resturant.

The girls were sitting inside and were leaving a tip on the table. They all stepped outside, and I watched the men take them to the alleyway. I quickly flew down and became human again, blending well in the shadows. I followed them silently on foot as they stopped in the center of the alley. They formed a ring around the girls to stop them from escaping, and heard a deep voice, still somewhat youthy though. Probably about 17 or so.

"So, what're you ladies doing around here? This place isn't safe for little girls to play." he taunted menacingly. I knew how to deal with these guys, just like Mike, only a bit stronger. I was just hoping I wouldn't hurt the girls.

I transformed myself into the girl I had been the last time I was in this situation; tall, blinde, skinny, wearing short-shorts and a tank top. I had to admit, as much as I liked the look, I only used it when I needed to. I began to casually walk down the alley, and then stopped as if just noticing they were there. All the men turned their eyes on me and smiled.

"Woops. Sorry, I don't mean to intrude on this little pow-wow, so I think I'll just go eat dinner now. Bye!" I said with fake cheerfullness, but one of the boys came up and grabbed me, pulling me to the cluster of girls and shoving me there roughly, saying "But the party hasn't even started yet. Although this will certainly be a party indeed now that you're here." They all laughed and I shrugged.

"So who are you all? And please, no stupid code names; they bug me so much." I told them, sighing with annoyance. One of the guys raised their eyebrows in suprise and sturtted over to me with menacing slowness, as if he had all the time in the world. He stopped in front of me and lifted my chin higher with his hand, as if examining me. I was annoyed by it, but I didn't let it show.

"Why should we tell you who we are? All you should know is that I'm the boss and you're our slaves." he said without interest. His eyes glittered smugly, and I knew what he was thinking without having to invade his thought.

"Oh no reason. I just need to know who's name to yell in ectstacy, that's all" I said, with fake curiousity. The sarcasm was overly obvious to them. The man stroked my chin and then patted my cheek softly, saying "Now, now baby, no need to get all riled up." he said. One of the other boys snickered.

I easily swept his hand away and said "First, I'm not your baby, _sugar_, so shut your mouth. Secondly, the girls and I are leaving no matter what you say, so you might as well step aside before you get hurt; got it?" I told him. He merely chuckled in response.

I turned away as if to leave, but then stopped and faced him again. "Oh, any by the way Ernie, I suggest you go back to Walmart so you can go get your stuffed animals; they're waiting for you ernie-wernie." I told him, then turned around and began to walk away.

Within moments I felt someone coming up behind me. Just before they grabbed my arms, I sent my hand flying back and it collided with his face. He staggered back in pain and I continued to walk, saying "Woops" as if I didn't care. In all reality I didn't.

The girls followed me quietly down the alleyway, while the boys stared at us. Finally, they began to creep up and was heading to grab each of us. I stopped, sighing in annoyance, and turned to face them.

"You guys really need to work on your sneaking skills; didn't you guys learn that from all your comic books? Unless you want a broken nose, you'll leave us alone." I threatened. They ignored me completely and continued to advance. I stood protectively in front of the girls and made my nails grow out as far as tiger claws, and equally thick. When one of them came near me, I swiped my hand at him and gave him a deep cut on his cheek.

He gasped in pain and rage and ran at me, grabbing me and flinging me towards the wall. I quickly retracted my claws to slits and held myself on the wall like a spider, hissing at them "Leave them alone." I actually hissed and my eyes went dead black. They backed up a step and then ran at the unprotected girls. I got there before them and punched one of them flat in the nose.

By this time, Edward had finally showed up. He ran into the alley and punched the nearest guy in the face, kneeing him in the gut once before moving onto the next one. The boss and two of his goons took one look around and ran for it. I considered it a job well done.

The girls got in the car, while Edward and I got on the Ducati and we all went home. It was time for some peace; nothing more than that can go wrong in one day, right?


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Bpov

We got home to find the boys, Carmen, Eleazer, Carlisle, Esme, and Lizzy all on the beach, playing frisbee. We went in to change into our swimsuits and came back out to play frisbee. Lizzy, Esme, and Carmen were building a small sand castle; Carlisle and Eleazer were standing on the water's edge talking, while everyone else played frisbee. I sat out and watched everyone, feeling a sense of dread.

I tried to find a reason for my sense of dread, and knew it was just gut instinct. This is the last time I would see my family this way, because something was about to change for all of us. As I contemplated what it was, I noticed same bushes rattle slightly, as if to suggest movement. I reached out with my senses and sensed a great evil lurking there, ready to pounce. I jumped up swiftly in alarm and growled lowly at whatever was there. I was surprised at what emerged.

A woman no older than twenty stepped out of the bushes, an equally young man holding her hand. I recognized them immediately. The woman had flaming red hair and a catlike walk, a smirk constantly playing at her lips. The man had his hair in a small pony and had restless eyes; constantly shifting from person to person. The moment they stepped into the dim sunlight of the end of the day, I knew what they were, for the began to shine. Vampires.

I growled ferociously loud and shifted into my wolf form, Seth and Brady following suit, taking my flanks. The woman stopped and smiled, although it didn't look at all friendly. She stepped foward and stopped about twenty feet from us. Then she spoke.

"Hello Bella; so nice to see you again, and with these dogs. My, my, what ever could they be doing here? That is of no matter I suppose, they will suffer too. I suppose you remember me Bella?" she asked me lightly. I wasn't surprised she knew my name.

I nodded my head at her in silence.

She clapped her hands together in delight. "Good, I hate repeating myself. Perhaps you never caught my name; I am Victoria, and this is my mate James. When you helped attack our passing coven, you killed my best friend, Riley. He always was so pesky." she said irritatingly, looking at her nails in boredom. She sighed and said "But no matter. You chose your fate the moment you stopped our little coven from moving on."

Just then I noticed the bushes shivering and watched in amazement as another 15 vampires stepped out, hungry eyes fixed on us.

"Shit." I muttered.

"These are my relatives Bella; big family and all. They've agreed to help me make you suffer. I thought to myself, 'What would make Isabella suffer most?' and then I remembered you and the packs obvious disgust at our kind. So what's the best revenge? To plague your little family with our thirst." she said laughing. Her laugh sounded like death in itself.

She flicked her wrist, and Seth, Brady, and I were surrounded by all fifteen of the other vampires, along with James. Victoria simply grinned and advanced on my family. We were about to fight through the vampires, before I suddenly noticed I couldn't move. I tried desperately to move and help my family. Seth and Brady were having the same problem I was. One of the vampires stepped forward and said "I'd prefer it if you waited here."

Oh, I was pissed.

Victoria rounded my family into one large huddle and called to them "Ohh, Edward. Come out of there and play." She said, teasing him. Edward hesitantly left the circle and proceeded forward. He stopped directly in front of Victoria, and she smiled. She spread everyone out, and then called all her vampires to come to her, except the one keeping us still. They all fanned out, one to each person, and bit deep into their necks. They all resisted the blood, and as suddenly as they appeared, they left.

We were released from our holds and Seth and Brady each ran to their mate. I followed Seth and he looked up at my approach.

"Seth, I need some of your blood. Cut a slit in your arm, quickly." I told him. He took out his pocket knife and cut him arm enough for the blood to ooze out. I took a needle I had in my hand and put it up to the cut. I pulled out a full needle's worth of blood, and felt satisfied.

I went around to each of the bitten Cullens, and I injected some of the werewolf blood into their bloodstream. I almost cried at the sight of poor Lizzy, soon to be doomed to this life as well. Seth jogged over to me when I had finished and asked "What did you just do?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair, and said "I used your werewolf blood, into their bloodstream, so they would smell un-offending, and hopefully develop powers of their own. At the least you can all be together without smelling like garbage to the other." I explained.

Seth whistled lowly and the sighed, saying "Jacob and Leah aren't going to like this at all."

I stiffened, imagining their reactions. Then I relaxed and told him "There is no need to fear what they say; it's too late now." Seth nodded and went back over to Kara, holding her softly. I sighed and told the two boys to take everyone inside. I gave them instructions to put everyone into their rooms, and for them to change the guys' clothes while i changed the girls. When we were done we ate a small dinner and sat downstairs, worrying our heads off. None of us knew how to deal with vampires.

I hopped onto the computer and looked up all the info on vampires I could find. I actually was able to, with the right words, find a book on-line written about Vampires. As I began scanning it's pages, I noticed something strange sightings and relayed all I knew about vampires to this. The information I knew matched what it had perfectly, along with a lot of extra stuff it had. I read over the entire thing that night in excitement, and by dawn I knew all there was to know about your basic vampire. Today I would start reading about special abilities and rare cases. Easy enough.

"They should be up there another two and a half days, but I don't know what effect the werewolf blood in their system will do to them." I told the boys sheepishly. They both nodded their heads in unison,and cast worried glances upstairs. I sighed and pointed upstairs. They both eagerly jumped up and sprinted upstairs. I shook my head. As much as I wish I could be by Edward's side, I had to find out everything I could about vampires in order to help them when they had fully changed.

I sighed, looking at the task at hand. I considered how much more I had to look up. I then wandered off to the kitchen for an apple and some water before I started. After I ate the small meal, I then lay down on the couch, feeling exhausted. I would catch up on the reading when I woke up. It would do me no good to read about vampires if I couldn't retain it in my memory.

I was unsure how long I slept, but as I awakened I noticed one thing first. It was dark out. I sighed, and after glancing at the time I nearly jumped out of my skin. 4 a.m.!

I was about to start reading when I heard my stomach rumble. I laughed and went to the kitchen to eat something. I made some toast and scrambled eggs and settled myself at the counter, noticing how quiet it was. Shouldn't everyone upstairs be screaming right now? I got up from my stool and dashed up to Edward's side. He looked for all the world as if he were sleeping, though I could hear his heartbeat stuttering. Already? Wait, that's not normal. It should be another two days before they wake up!

I started to panic before I remembered the werewolf DNA in their system. It must have sped up the process a little. I relxed and sat next to Edward, stroking his hand lovingly in mine as I waited for him to come out of the burning fires. As his heartbeat began to stutter even more, skipping beats and tripping over itself, I sat very still and listened to the other heartbeats in the house. They were all in the same condition.

I sighed, thinking how impossible this task seemed, and watched Edward. His heart stuttered and beated twice. Once. It stood in silence now.

I sat, waiting and suddenly his eyelids began to flutter. He opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling in awe, taking in his surroundings with his newly improved eyes. He stared up at the ceiling for a moment, before his eyes shifted down to rest on mine, I almost gasped aloud. The eyes of his that should have been ruby red from his human blood were still those breathtaking emerald green ones I loved.

I hesitantly reached my hand out to him, unsure as of what to do. He grabbed it slowly too, as if to be gentle. He sat up, his green eyes fixed on mine. He leaned forward and softly brushed my lips with his own, seemingly delicate. Suddenly he put strength into the kiss, pouring his love into it. I kissed him back equally; I had missed him already.

He broke apart from me a moment later, grinning like a fool but overjoyed all the same. I grinned back and hopped up from the bed, pulling him with me. We walked hand in hand down the hallway and down the stairs. The only heartbeats in the house were those of Seth, Brady, and myself. First we checked on Rosalie and Emmett, finding them confused but not with haywire emotions.

Carmen and Eleazer were both sitting calmly on their bed, probably waiting for me to tell them what to do. I smiled at them and invited them outside. The six of us checked on Garrett and Kate, and finding them occupied we left them be. Tanya was hugging Brady, and joined us as we made sure everyone was well. Carlisle and Esme were just like Carmen and Eleazer, calm and seemingly comfortable.

Jasper and Alice sitting around looking confused, but followed us downstairs anyways. Seth and Kara joined us in the hallway with Irina and Laurent behind them. The only one left was Lizzy. She was laying in her bed, listening to music as though nothing had happened. I called her out to join us as we all made our way to the living room. Garrett and Kate came down to join us as well. Everyone took a seat, some on couches and some on the floor, as they all waited for me to speak. I stood in front of them, hands behind my back.

I took a deep breath, and addressed them all. "Good morning everyone. I'm sure you'll be noticing it's like five in the morning, but don't worry about that; coincidence is all. You guys were asleep a full day and a quarter, I believe." Seth raised his thumb in agreement, and I exhaled deeply.

"Anyways, by now I hope you realized what was different. You are now all vampires, though not entirely normal ones. Before your wounds from the other night healed, I injected werewolf blood into your veins, hoping to make the passage to immortality easier. I hope I was right; you guys were under a much shorter time, so that's something at least. I'm assuming you all felt a burning, similar to standing in a fire?" I asked them. They all nodded their heads.

"I know it must have sucked, but at least you all made it. Now then, first things first. Your eye color. Seth, Brady, did you notice anything strange about it?" I asked them, gesturing at everyone with my hands. Brady furrowed his brow in confusion and Seth simply shrugged. I nodded my head and told everyone "You eye color was supposed to be ruby red; the color all newborns have. However, for some reason you all have your original eye colors." I told them.

Everybody suddenly glanced around and, upon noticing this, turned their undivided attention back to me. Lizzy never bothered to look around, but stayed focused on me. I took another deep breath and said "Now, I'm sure by now you all will notice a slight burning in your throats, yes?" One by one, they shook their heads at me. Now it was my turn to be confused. Seth stepped up and said "Is anybody hungry for anything in particular?" he asked.

Lizzy nodded at him and said "Waffles sound good." The others said other breakfast-y foods as well. Seth turned to me and explained "They must have retained a wolf's stomach in the process, so instead of blood they can still eat food."

"Thank God!" Brady shouted. "This might not upset Jacob as much anymore; maybe he'll be able to come to terms with it after a while." he continued in a normal tone.

"Hey, am I the only one that notices it doesn't smell bad in here?" Seth asked. Everyone sniffed the air and Edward shrugged.

"I suppose the werewolf blood strengthened our human scents without giving it the over-sweetness of a vampire's scent. For example, to me Bella still smells like Freesia, while Seth smells like Maple and Pine trees." he noted. Emmett burst into raucous laughter that practically shook the house.

"Good deal then. Wait, I want to test something I'd heard about before." I said, walking to Edweard and motioning for him to stand. I stood a good three feet away from him and told him "Edward, I want you to get angry, for some reason; any reason at all. Let the anger build up inside you." I told him. Seth and Brady picked up on what I was telling him to do and stepped away, pulling me with them.

Edward began to shiver at first, then he began to noticeably shake as the rage built in him. Finally it exploded, along with Edward. His body exploded into that of a large bronze colored wolf with white tipped feet. He raised his muzzle and stared me straight in the eye, then grinned goofily. It would have seemed menacing if I hadn't seen the sparkle of joy in his eyes.

"Alright, now calm yourself down and command yourself to turn back into a human." I told him. He nodded his big head once, and his body quickly melted back into the Edward I knew and loved. I noticed with approval that he still had his clothes. Haha, take that full-blown werewolves.

Everybody, under Seth's order, filed outside to the sandy beach and stood at least five feet apart from eachother. He told everyone to do the same as Edward had, build up an anger in your body so intense that you literally explode. Seth then explained that you didn't have to be angry to change though. You simply had to command your body to change into its wolf form. Anger usually made it quicker is all.

Seth, Brady, and I were the first to change into our wolf forms, and we stood side-by-side, surveying the others. Seth was his usual sandy color, while Brady was his dark brown/black mix. Edward changed upon will this time, and stayed put, facing us. Next to change was shocking. Lizzy shrugged her little shoulders and effortlessly transformed into a much smaller dark brown wolf with black paws and muzzle.

Next was Carlisle and Esme simultaniously. Carlisle was a handsome golden wolf with gentle white paws and tipped tails, while Esme was caramel colored with gold tipped paws.

Emmett transformed into a massive gray wolf with black paws, muzzle, and tail tip. At his full height he stood the tallest, except for me. Rosalie turned into a red wolf with white tipped ears and paws. Alice became a slight black wolf with flecks of gray in her coat, while Jasper became a large gray with flecks of black in his coat, along with black paws and tail tip.

Irina was a silver wolf, full out, while Laurent was a deep brown one. Tanya became a light golden wolf with brown paws, tail- and ear- tips, and muzzle. Kate was white with speckled gold in her fur, and Garrett was a light chestnut with specks of gray in his fur. Carmen was a dark brown wolf with white paws and muzzle, while Eleazer was black with silver paws and ear-tips.

All in all a very fine pack of wolves. Once everyone had shifted, the jumble of thoughts was nearly unbearable. Edward was already getting a headache from it, and I snarled into the air "Silence!" It became very quiet then.

_These are your wolf forms, and you are to use them wisely. When in wolf form, we connect with eachother's minds and can communicate without my assistance. Got it?_ I told them all. I heard a yes from everyone and, satisfied, changed back into human form. Everyone followed swiftly. After a moment's consideration I said "I think we should train them in werewolf-ism, what do you think?" I asked Seth and Brady.

They both nodded their heads and began to speak when I interrupted them.

"Wait, I've got a better idea." I told them. I commanded everyone to sit in a circle. Much easier, and faster. We all joined hands and I passed them all knowledge on werewolves.

It took about half an hour, but by the end everyone understood. Before we got up, I sent them all I knew about vampires, and half vampires. I left the subject upon vampire gifts in the air, hanging there. One by one, people told us their gifts.

Edward could read minds, Jasper could influence emotions, Alice could see the future, Emmett had extra strength, Rosalie could change her appearance, Esme could put up a physical and mental shield to protect people, Carlisle could see the reason's behind people's actions, even if they didn't see it themselves. Lizzy could show people things with the touch of her hand; a picture, a memory, a thought, a fear, anything.

Kate had the ability to shock people, Garrett could control the elements, Irina could blend into her surroundings and turn invisible, Laurent was able to make things freeze, burn, dissolve, and move wherever he wanted them. Carmen could see through things no matter if it was a lie or a concrete wall, and Eleazer was able to detect everyone else's gifts and help strengthen it. Kara had overly heightened senses, along with speed. All in all, we were a very gifted and dangerous family. I was just glad we would never need to hunt. Yuck.

Eleazer identified everyone's gifts for them, if they couldn't already guess. To say I was pleased would be an understatement. Now no one could hurt us ever again, unless we were separated. I thought of the Volturi I had heard of, and grinned. Granted, they may eventually come to get us, but they will be most surprised when they try.

Everyone had also had their features sharpened and had the beauty of a vampire now that they were mostly so. However, it wasn't overdone like normal vampires thanks to the werewolf part of them.

All the girls went inside to make some breakfast for everyone while the guys lounged in the sand relaxing and talking, I think they forgot about our super hearing because the boys began to whisper about us and us girls all smirked.

"Man, just think. With us all being partly vampires now, we can have sex and never get tired of it!" Emmett whispered.

"Dude! That's awesome" Jasper whispered. They all laughed lowly and us girls giggled. We all sped to the door with our new speed and stood there, watching them.

"Don't worry boys; were here when you want us!" I called to them. Their mouthes dropped open and we all laughed before going back inside to cook. It took us about an hour to finally make enough food to feed everybody, or close to it. We called everybody inside and gave them all plates and set up a buffet on the dining room table. In single file they walked through, grabbing various pieces of food while chatting with the person next to them. I laughed when I realized how much it looked like lunch at school.

When everyone was full, there wasn't a single scrap of food left on the platters. The women got to work with cleaning the dishes while the men continued to lounge around and be lazy. We didn't really mind though. It was all done within no time.

It was about nine in the morning now, so we all agreed upon taking a run and checking the area. Everybody went to get properly dressed for the day and then waited outside. Once everybody was ready, we all shifted. I gave everyone instructions of exactly where not to go, which meant anywhere humans lived and to stay away from the jungle cats' territories. We all agreed and set out at a brisk trot.

Soon we picked up to an easy run, and were barreling through the forest at impossible rates. No one was tired due to their vampire strenth, and we all kept up to each other easily. After about ten minutes of running and chatting, we worked on tracking skills. Surprisingly, no one had any difficulty with it. They tracked squirrels and turtles and once even a mouse. Pleased with the assessment, we moved on. We slowed down to a leisurely stroll and came across a sunny clearing full of Wildflowers, Daisies, Marigolds, Daffodils, and Heidlevice. It was gorgeous. I wasted no time.

I changed back to my human form and everyone followed swift, the guys pulling on their cut off jeans and the girls pulling on their shorts and tank tops. I then started to skip and frolic across the field, laughing in the Summer sunshine. Suddenly something slammed into me, knocking me down with their arms around my waist tightly. I heard a laugh and I looked into the amused face of Edward. I laughed and said "What was that for?"

"I missed you" he said, pouting. He knew I could never resist that pout. I scoffed at him and rolled him off me while growling playfully. He cocked an eyebrow at me and then rolled back on top of me, pinning my arms above my head with one hand.

"You know that isn't going t-" Suddenly my lips were too occupied for words. Edward kissed my sweetly for a moment before pulling back and giving me that crooked smile of his.

"I know, but that doesn't stop me from trying." he grinned. I rolled my eyes and huffed in fake annoyance, before flipping us over and pinning his hands above him.

"How much fun is it now?" I teased him. He growled lowly at me and I hovered my lips over his, teasing him. He finally thrust his body up, making our lips touch for only a moment, but it made me suddenly crave more. I crashed my lips down on his and kissed him passionately. He licked my bottom lip, begging for entrance, and I complied. We battled for dominance before settling into almost a dance with our tongues. Neither fighting, but moving in harmony.

After who knows how long I pulled back to gasp for air. Edard was doing the same. Sometime during the kiss I had released his hands and he had them wrapped tightly around my waist, while mine were around his neck. I leaned my forehead against his and stared into his gorgeous green eyes. He stared right back into mine, and we stayed there until I heard the pitter-patter of footsteps smaller than any adults. I turned my head and saw Lizzy bounding over to us gleefully. I sat up a little and pulled Edward up so he was sitting next to me, his arm around my waist.

Lizzy skipped over to us and hopped down in the grass next to me. I automatically put my arm around her small shoulders. She smiled up at me and sad "This place is so pretty Bella!"

"Yes, I know" I told her with a sudden, strange calmness. I gazed out across the meadow, watching the others run and play and I smiled. My family. Lizzy got up and bounded across the meadow towards Alice and Rosalie who were picking flowers. Sighing, I leaned against Edward's side, completely happy.

I sighed. _If it wasn't for my meddling in the pack's business with those nomads, my family would still be human. It's my fault. Why is it that when I swear to keep them safe, I never can? They always get caught somehow!_I thought, mentally sighing. Edward tightened his grip on my waist and I flinched mentally. Crap, stupid mind reading abilities.

Edward chuckled lightly when he heard that and I almost cracked a grin. I sighed again and leaned my head on his comfortable shoulder, trying to figure out what to do. Do we stay here for a while, or do we go back home where we really belong? I contemplated this as Edward held me silently, lost in his own thoughts. After a few minutes I called out to Carlisle. His head turned in my direction and he got up from his spot on the lush grasses to lope over to me. He came and sat in front of us, waiting patiently.

I projected my thoughts to him. _What do we do? Should we stay here for a while longer, or return back home where we belong? Wait... Victoria! She might go after the wolves after she came after us, knowing that werewolves and vampires would never help each other. I need to find out._ I thought to him. He nodded and I yelled "Alice!"

She turned my way and skipped over to me with a bunch of flowers. "Yes Bella?" she asked.

"I need you to look into the Quileute pack's future, find out if Victoria will attack them too." I told her. She nodded and stood still with her eyes closed before she suddenly became rigid. Jasper sped over and placed his hands on her shoulder. After two excruciatingly long minutes Alice relaxed and opened her eyes. Her darkened gaze flickered down towards me and she nodded gravely.

"When?" I asked.

She seemed in thought for a moment before she said "In about a month; Victoria is thinking of gathering an army of sorts. She keeps going back and forth between a newborn army and the Volturi. She's going to have her spies follow us around to find out which one she really needs. Personally I hope she sends the Volturi; we can block their powers and then kill them or send them on their way." She suggested, shrugging.

I gaped open-mouthed at her. "Wouldn't a newborn army be easier to kill?" I asked her. She shook her head.

"Too strong, and they might have that power where they restrict movement. At least with the Volturi we know what powers to expect." she said. I nodded. It seemed right. This also meant we needed to head home to warn the pack and learn to use our powers. Edward caught onto my train of thought and nodded. He pulled out his cell phone and started calling the airport. We'd need to leave soon.

I shifted into my wolf form and howled to get everybody's attention. All heads turned my way, questioning.

"Alright, we haven't got much time. We need to go back to the house and pack everything up, and head back to Forks! Our families are in danger, and we need to help them. Well what are you waiting for? Shift! Let's go let's go!" I yelled at them aloud. Everyone quickly shifted and took off running in the direction of our home. Edward hung up and shifted, running along-side me towards the beach house.

When we got there everyone was speedily, yet efficiently, packing all their stuff. As humans it woulds have taken an hour or more; as vampire/werewolf hybrids it only takes maybe ten minutes. Edward and I rushed up the stairs to our room and started to pack. I was done quickly, before Edward even. He couldn't find his red polo shirt. I put my finger on my chin in thought and heard a ruckus of noise from our tree. It sounded very close to laughter.

When I got under the tree I laughed at what I saw. A small ring-tailed lemur had gotten hold of his red shirt somehow and was wearing it. The birds were tweeting, the squirrels were chuckling, and the other lemurs seemed to be laughing. All though the one with the shirt laughed too, I noticed him fixing his head fur, smoothing it down. I called Edward over.

"Looks like he's getting ready to impress his date, don't you think?" I asked. He laughed at the lemur.

"Hey buddy! If you really want to impress her, give her flowers, not my shirt!" he yelled up at the lemur. I burst into a fit of laughter, and I could hear the tree's occupants' agreement in my amusement. The lemur shook his head at Edward and continued to smooth down his hair. I pulled Edward away and he pouted.

"That was one of my favorite shirts." he whined slightly. I laughed lightly at him and he flashed me his crooked grin. We finished packing and took all our stuff out to the cars to load up. Once our stuff was loaded, Edward and I went to say goodbye to our room.

Opening the door, I glanced around one last time.

"I'm going to miss this place." I told Edward, sighing. He put an arm around my shoulders and smiled down at me. I smiled back and waved goodbye to all the creatures in the tree before Edward and I left. They all waved back and then continued on with their daily lives. Edward shut the door behind us and grabbed my hand, pulling me gently downstairs behind him.

Everyone was gathered in the living room talking when we entered. When we appeared at the bottom of the stairs everyone began to file out the door towards the garage. As everyone was loading up Carlisle informed me that once we got to the airport, a couple guys would be there to ship my motorcycle and Kara's car back home. I smiled. I loved my motorcycle; there was no way I would part with it.

We checked into the airport and we went to find a seat and wait. Before we sat, Edward shook his head at us. We were confused for a split second before we heard the announcer over the intercom say "Flight 407 to Seattle, Washington is ready to board now. Please make your way to gate six with your ticket ready. Thank you and have a wonderful flight."

Edward, grinning, pulled us along to gate six where we handed in our tickets and boarded the plane. First class; how'd I guess? We all sat down and waited for the plane to take off so we could go back home to the stupid small town of Forks.


	20. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

**Hey there everyone! So, I was going to continue with this story, but finally decided to leave my current cliff-hanger in place and declare this story as finished! There's a good chance that a sequel will soon follow, so keep your eyes open!**

**Also, if you have any ideas, or if there's something in particular you're hoping for in the sequel, send me a message or a review to let me know! I want to hear what you guys have in mind :)**

**Oh, and by the way, while you wait for me to start posting a sequel, I suggest reading the story i've been working on most recently, called _Shadow In The Light_. I hope you all like it!**

**Your Fellow Writer,**

**-OWCF**


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